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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. bound — certain
  3. bear — the animal
  4. race — a contest
  5. stand — to bear
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. fall — to drop
  9. race — humankind
  10. bound — obliged
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. cell — a phone
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. fall — the season
  17. suit — in cards
  18. race — the arms race
  19. suit — clothes
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pitcher — a jug

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