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: bulb · stand · fan · fine · rock · foot · cold · lie

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. foot — a measure
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. lie — to recline
  8. rock — music
  9. bulb — for light
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. cold — not warm
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fine — high quality
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. fine — all right
  23. cold — an illness
  24. stand — to bear

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