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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — to bear
  3. club — for golf
  4. game — wild animals
  5. rule — government
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rule — a law
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. mark — a grade
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. club — a group
  14. capital — money
  15. capital — a city
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. club — for dancing
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. game — a match
  21. mark — a trace
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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