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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. suit — in cards
  6. cell — a phone
  7. tear — from crying
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. cell — in biology
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pass — a permit
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. suit — clothes
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. tear — from crying
  18. stand — to bear
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. content — the amount
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. tear — to rip
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. suit — to fit

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