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: cabinet · wind · rule · roll · pop · stick · drill · stand

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. drill — the tool
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. rule — a law
  5. drill — a practice
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. stand — to bear
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. roll — a list
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. roll — a cake
  15. pop — soda
  16. drill — army training
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wind — moving air
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. pop — music
  24. rule — government

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