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: ruler · pass · chest · field · row · stand

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. row — to paddle
  3. field — for sport
  4. chest — of your body
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stand — to bear
  9. chest — of your body
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. row — a line
  13. field — farmland
  14. field — a subject
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — a permit
  17. chest — a box
  18. stand — on your feet

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