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: firm · stand · ball · hand · current · capital · leaves · mouse

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. stand — to bear
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. current — of water
  9. current — electric
  10. hand — in cards
  11. current — happening now
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. hand — help
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. ball — a dance
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. firm — decided
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. capital — money
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. ball — a great time
  23. capital — a city
  24. firm — a company

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