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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. craft — boats
  3. march — the month
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. deal — to handle
  6. march — music
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lean — thin
  9. craft — a skill
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. stand — to bear
  12. last — finally
  13. game — wild animals
  14. game — a match
  15. last — final
  16. last — to go on
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. march — the month
  19. lean — to bend
  20. wound — an injury
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. wound — an injury

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