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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. saw — the tool
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bear — the animal
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. stand — to bear
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. land — to come down
  13. saw — the tool
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. chip — for betting
  16. land — ground
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. land — a country
  21. chip — to eat
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. wind — moving air

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