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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. root — the cause
  7. firm — a company
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. capital — a city
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. stand — to bear
  14. firm — decided
  15. kid — child
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — of a plant
  19. kid — to tease
  20. capital — money
  21. firm — steady
  22. rash — a series
  23. lie — to recline
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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