ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. can — a tin
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. can — a tin
  5. prune — to trim
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. stand — to bear
  10. prune — to trim
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. lean — thin
  13. mark — a trace
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. mark — a grade
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. roll — a list
  18. lean — to bend
  19. roll — a cake
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. cold — not warm
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. cold — an illness
  24. can — to be able to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com