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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. rock — music
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. row — a line
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. row — to paddle
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — crushed
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bear — the animal
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stand — to bear
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rock — a stone
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. ground — the earth
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bear — the animal
  24. safe — a strongbox

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