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: fall · object · cap · stand · jam · cue · roll · march

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. march — the month
  3. fall — the season
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. cue — for pool
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. cue — a hint
  8. roll — a list
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. march — music
  11. object — a thing
  12. march — the month
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. roll — a cake
  15. cap — a lid
  16. object — an aim
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cue — a signal
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. cap — of ice
  21. object — to protest
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — to drop

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