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: bound · stand · drill · capital · date · fan · arm · hide

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bound — certain
  3. capital — money
  4. bound — tied together
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. drill — a practice
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. drill — the tool
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. stand — to bear
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. capital — a city
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. drill — army training
  18. bound — obliged
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. date — the fruit

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