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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. firm — steady
  3. rest — a break
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. cold — an illness
  6. staff — employees
  7. stand — to bear
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. rest — what's left
  10. race — humankind
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. firm — decided
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. staff — a stick
  15. rest — what's left
  16. firm — a company
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. staff — employees
  19. cold — not warm
  20. race — the arms race
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. race — a contest
  23. wake — a trail
  24. bowl — a dish

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