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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. last — final
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. fall — the season
  5. last — finally
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. stand — to bear
  8. charge — electricity
  9. fall — to drop
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. pitch — completely
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. snap — to click
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. last — to go on
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — decided
  20. charge — in control
  21. capital — a city
  22. capital — money
  23. fall — to drop
  24. charge — a price

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