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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. ground — the earth
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. firm — a company
  7. press — to push
  8. press — newspapers
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. ground — crushed
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. ground — a position
  14. dip — to sink
  15. kid — child
  16. press — a publisher
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — decided
  20. kid — to tease
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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