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: nail · file · board · saw · suit · toast · bear · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — to bear
  3. toast — bread
  4. file — a tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. board — to get on
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. suit — in cards
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bear — the animal
  13. board — a committee
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bear — the animal
  18. suit — clothes
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. file — a document
  22. suit — to fit
  23. file — a line of people
  24. nail — for a hammer

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