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 116 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: fine · stand · kid · mark · content · wake · can · fall

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. can — a tin
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. content — the amount
  5. fall — the season
  6. kid — child
  7. can — to be able to
  8. fine — all right
  9. stand — to bear
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. kid — to tease
  12. mark — a trace
  13. content — happy
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. mark — a grade
  16. can — a tin
  17. wake — a trail
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. fall — to drop
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stand — on your feet

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