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: stick · wind · cue · hide · sharp · suit · trunk · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. cue — a hint
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wind — moving air
  5. sharp — clever
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. wind — moving air
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. stand — to bear
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. suit — in cards
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. suit — to fit
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. suit — clothes
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. cue — a signal
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. cue — for pool

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