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: jam · club · can · stand · stick · coach · ball · wound

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. can — to be able to
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. club — for dancing
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. ball — a great time
  13. stand — to bear
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. club — for golf
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. wound — an injury
  23. club — a group
  24. ball — a dance

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