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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. track — a path
  3. march — the month
  4. lean — thin
  5. stand — to bear
  6. track — a song
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bear — the animal
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. firm — a company
  14. lean — to bend
  15. firm — decided
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. march — the month
  20. march — music
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bear — the animal
  23. firm — steady
  24. stand — on your feet

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