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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. spell — a short time
  3. firm — steady
  4. cap — of ice
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. field — farmland
  7. spell — letters
  8. field — for sport
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. lie — to recline
  11. cap — a lid
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. firm — decided
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. field — a subject
  17. firm — a company
  18. stand — to bear
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. cap — a hat
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. spell — magic

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