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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. face — to confront
  4. wake — a trail
  5. stand — to bear
  6. shower — to wash
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. chair — a leader
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. face — part of the head
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. face — to point toward
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wind — moving air
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wind — moving air
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. mark — a grade
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. shower — rain
  24. mark — a trace

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