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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. firm — steady
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. firm — a company
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. firm — decided
  9. kid — child
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. fall — to drop
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. perch — the fish
  16. pop — to visit
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. fall — to drop
  19. pop — music
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. fall — the season
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. kid — to tease
  24. stand — to bear

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