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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bass — low music
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. chest — of your body
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. chest — a box
  11. lean — thin
  12. pit — in a race
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. chest — of your body
  18. stock — shares
  19. stand — to bear
  20. lean — to bend
  21. bass — the fish
  22. chair — a leader
  23. stock — goods
  24. stand — for spectators

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