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 116 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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. wax — to grow
  3. bass — the fish
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. spell — a short time
  7. firm — steady
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bass — low music
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. land — ground
  12. land — to come down
  13. wound — an injury
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. land — a country
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — decided
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. spell — letters
  23. wound — an injury
  24. spell — magic

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