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

Word bank: chest · stand · stick · capital · wind · jam

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. chest — a box
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. wind — moving air
  8. capital — a city
  9. wind — moving air
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. capital — money
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chest — of your body
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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