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: wind · foot · cap · coach · firm · pop · cabinet · fall

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. firm — decided
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. fall — to drop
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — music
  9. fall — to drop
  10. foot — a measure
  11. firm — steady
  12. fall — the season
  13. cap — of ice
  14. wind — moving air
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — a lid
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. firm — a company
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. wind — moving air
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. pop — to visit

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