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 116 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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. can — a tin
  4. bore — to tire
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. stand — to bear
  7. court — for sport
  8. can — a tin
  9. face — part of the head
  10. court — of a king
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. court — of law
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. fall — to drop
  17. chair — a leader
  18. face — to confront
  19. fall — to drop
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. face — to point toward
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bore — to drill
  24. can — to be able to

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