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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — the time now
  5. race — a contest
  6. game — a match
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. fall — the season
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. present — there
  12. fall — to drop
  13. race — the arms race
  14. deal — to handle
  15. game — wild animals
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. field — farmland
  19. race — humankind
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. field — a subject
  22. stand — to bear
  23. field — for sport
  24. fall — to drop

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