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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. stand — to bear
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. kid — child
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. cap — a lid
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rush — hurry
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. cap — of ice
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. cap — a hat
  17. mate — a friend
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. kid — to tease

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