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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pit · staff · firm · stand · temple · bound

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. firm — steady
  3. staff — employees
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bound — obliged
  6. staff — employees
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. stand — to bear
  9. firm — a company
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. pit — a hole
  12. staff — a stick
  13. bound — certain
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. firm — decided
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pit — in a race
  18. temple — a place of worship

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