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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. wind — moving air
  7. land — ground
  8. land — to come down
  9. tube — the underground
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bank — of a river
  13. squash — to crush
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. land — a country
  16. tube — a container
  17. stand — to bear
  18. wind — moving air
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. squash — the sport

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