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 120 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. chest — of your body
  4. land — to come down
  5. suit — in cards
  6. chest — of your body
  7. suit — to fit
  8. present — there
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a grade
  12. chest — a box
  13. suit — clothes
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. present — the time now
  16. tube — a container
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. tube — the underground
  20. land — ground
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. land — a country
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. mark — a trace

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