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 took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. suit — to fit
  4. row — to paddle
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. present — a gift
  10. wound — an injury
  11. chest — a box
  12. land — to come down
  13. present — the time now
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. suit — in cards
  16. chest — of your body
  17. row — a line
  18. stand — to bear
  19. chest — of your body
  20. wound — an injury
  21. present — there
  22. land — a country
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. land — ground

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