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: can · stand · rest · last · spell · bore · squash · track

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. last — finally
  3. track — to keep track
  4. bore — to drill
  5. last — to go on
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — a short time
  10. can — to be able to
  11. last — final
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. stand — to bear
  14. squash — to crush
  15. track — a path
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bore — to tire
  18. rest — a break
  19. squash — the sport
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. can — a tin
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. track — a song
  24. can — a tin

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