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 120 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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stem — to come from
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. march — the month
  9. fall — to drop
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. ball — a dance
  13. kick — in football
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wind — moving air
  16. ball — a great time
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fall — to drop
  22. march — music
  23. march — the month
  24. wind — moving air

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