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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. stand — to bear
  7. firm — a company
  8. bass — low music
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. object — an aim
  11. can — a tin
  12. chest — of your body
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. firm — steady
  15. object — to protest
  16. firm — decided
  17. chest — of your body
  18. object — a thing
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. chest — a box
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bass — the fish
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. stand — on your feet

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