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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. land — a country
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. wound — an injury
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bear — the animal
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. land — ground
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. pass — a permit
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. plane — a tool

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