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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — to bear
  3. drill — a practice
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. chair — a leader
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. drill — the tool
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. race — the arms race
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. race — a contest
  19. wound — an injury
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. race — humankind
  23. drill — army training
  24. straw — a straw man

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