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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. squash — the sport
  4. fall — the season
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. club — a group
  9. current — happening now
  10. fall — to drop
  11. current — of water
  12. current — electric
  13. fall — to drop
  14. squash — to crush
  15. mark — a trace
  16. club — for dancing
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. club — for golf

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