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: roll · stand · firm · bay · race · field · cabinet · bear

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. firm — steady
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. field — a subject
  5. field — for sport
  6. roll — a cake
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. roll — a list
  11. firm — a company
  12. race — the arms race
  13. race — humankind
  14. firm — decided
  15. race — a contest
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. stand — to bear
  22. field — farmland
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. cabinet — ministers

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