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 120 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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. present — there
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. present — the time now
  6. last — to go on
  7. bat — the animal
  8. press — to push
  9. press — a publisher
  10. cue — a hint
  11. last — finally
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. press — newspapers
  15. stand — to bear
  16. last — final
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. track — to keep track
  20. cue — a signal
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. present — a gift
  23. track — a song
  24. track — a path

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