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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. chip — to eat
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. fall — the season
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — a publisher
  11. chip — for betting
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. press — to push
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. fall — to drop
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. toast — bread
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. chip — in a computer

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