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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. march — the month
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. wake — a trail
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. tube — the underground
  11. stand — to bear
  12. content — the amount
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. object — to protest
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. object — an aim
  17. march — music
  18. bear — the animal
  19. object — a thing
  20. content — happy
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. bear — the animal
  23. march — the month
  24. tube — a container

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