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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. pitch — completely
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. fine — high quality
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. chair — a leader
  8. land — to come down
  9. board — a committee
  10. pass — a permit
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. fine — all right
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. land — ground
  22. land — a country
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — a sports field

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