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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. rock — music
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. fall — to drop
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mine — for digging
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. drill — the tool
  11. firm — a company
  12. mark — a trace
  13. drill — a practice
  14. firm — decided
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. fall — to drop
  18. stand — to bear
  19. fall — the season
  20. rock — a stone
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. drill — army training
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. firm — steady

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