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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. cap — a lid
  5. firm — a company
  6. bound — obliged
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bound — certain
  10. net — in sport
  11. cap — a hat
  12. net — for catching
  13. stand — to bear
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rush — hurry
  16. cap — of ice
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. firm — steady
  19. net — after costs
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bound — tied together
  23. firm — decided
  24. wake — a trail

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