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: cell · leaves · row · spell · mouse · stand · stick · firm

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. cell — a phone
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. firm — a company
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. firm — decided
  11. row — to paddle
  12. spell — letters
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. row — a line
  15. firm — steady
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. stand — to bear
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. spell — a short time
  22. cell — in biology
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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