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: chair · stand · deal · ruler · cold · season

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. cold — an illness
  3. cold — not warm
  4. chair — a leader
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. stand — to bear
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. season — of the year
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. season — in sport
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. chair — to sit on

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