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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. stand — to bear
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. object — an aim
  6. fall — to drop
  7. rash — a series
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. fall — to drop
  11. chair — a leader
  12. object — a thing
  13. rash — hasty
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. object — to protest
  17. capital — a city
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. fall — the season
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. wake — a trail
  24. capital — money

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