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: stand · charge · prune · wind · wound · firm · cabinet · tube

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. charge — electricity
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. tube — the underground
  6. wind — moving air
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. tube — a container
  9. wound — an injury
  10. firm — decided
  11. wind — moving air
  12. charge — in control
  13. prune — to trim
  14. firm — a company
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. charge — a price
  21. firm — steady
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. prune — to trim

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