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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bear — the animal
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. capital — a city
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. cap — a lid
  13. capital — money
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. cap — of ice
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. foot — a measure
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bore — to tire
  20. stand — to bear
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bear — to put up with

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