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: trunk · bore · toast · pop · bass · suit · cold · stand

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. pop — to visit
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. suit — clothes
  7. cold — not warm
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — the fish
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. pop — music
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. pop — soda
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bass — low music
  20. toast — bread
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bore — to drill
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. cold — an illness

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