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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. firm — decided
  3. net — after costs
  4. net — for catching
  5. key — for a lock
  6. stand — to bear
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. firm — a company
  9. net — in sport
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. key — the most important part
  12. firm — steady
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. shower — to wash
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. key — in music
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. shower — rain
  24. trunk — of a car

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