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 120 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: scale · rest · stand · fall · rash · wave · wound · stick

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. rest — what's left
  3. fall — to drop
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rash — hasty
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. rest — a break
  9. wound — an injury
  10. rash — a series
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — to bear
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. scale — size or range
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. fall — the season
  22. fall — to drop
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. rest — what's left

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