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: row · snap · jam · deal · cabinet · game · bore · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. game — wild animals
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. stand — to bear
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. game — a match
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. snap — to click
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. row — to paddle
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. row — a line
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. bore — to drill
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bore — to tire
  23. deal — to handle
  24. cabinet — ministers

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