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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — to bear
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. pop — music
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. present — a gift
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. present — the time now
  9. pop — soda
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — hurry
  12. capital — a city
  13. present — there
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. capital — money
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. roll — a list
  20. pop — to visit
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. roll — a cake
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. roll — on a roll

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