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: bank · stand · firm · dip · game · cold · cabinet · rest

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. rest — what's left
  4. cold — an illness
  5. cold — not warm
  6. rest — a break
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bank — for money
  9. game — a match
  10. firm — steady
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bank — for money
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bank — of a river
  17. game — wild animals
  18. firm — decided
  19. rest — what's left
  20. firm — a company
  21. stand — to bear
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. dip — to dunk

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