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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bear — the animal
  3. last — final
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. last — to go on
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bear — the animal
  14. spell — a short time
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — letters
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mark — a grade
  24. last — finally

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