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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bear — the animal
  3. key — for a lock
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. wind — moving air
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. pass — a permit
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. stock — shares
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. key — in music
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. stock — goods
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. key — the most important part
  24. stand — to bear

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