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 · wax · pitcher · trunk · rule · mug · hand · firm

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. rule — government
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. firm — decided
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. stand — to bear
  9. wax — to grow
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. mug — a face
  12. hand — help
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. firm — steady
  16. mug — a cup
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. mug — to rob
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. hand — in cards
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. rule — a law

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