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: stand · lean · track · cabinet · chest · jam · straw · cap

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. chest — a box
  3. track — a song
  4. track — to keep track
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — of your body
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. stand — to bear
  9. lean — to bend
  10. cap — a lid
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. track — a path
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — of ice
  21. lean — thin
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. straw — dry grass

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