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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — a hole
  4. saw — the tool
  5. track — a path
  6. pass — a permit
  7. fall — to drop
  8. stock — shares
  9. saw — the tool
  10. stock — goods
  11. object — to protest
  12. pit — in a race
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. track — to keep track
  15. stand — to bear
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. track — a song
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. fall — the season
  20. object — a thing
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. fall — to drop
  23. object — an aim
  24. pass — to spend time

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