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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. plane — a tool
  3. wind — moving air
  4. season — in sport
  5. stand — to bear
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. court — of law
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. season — of the year
  17. wind — moving air
  18. court — of a king
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. court — for sport
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — to trim

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