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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. stand — to bear
  3. mug — a face
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mug — to rob
  8. file — a tool
  9. ground — the earth
  10. mug — a cup
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. file — a line of people
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — a company
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. file — a document
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. firm — decided
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. kick — in football

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