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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. present — a gift
  4. rock — music
  5. present — there
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. present — the time now
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. foot — a measure
  13. shower — to wash
  14. cap — a hat
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. stand — to bear
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. chip — for betting
  19. shower — rain
  20. rock — a stone
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cap — a lid
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. chip — to eat

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