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: safe · stand · fall · hide · perch · wax · cold · rush

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. cold — not warm
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. cold — an illness
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. wax — to grow
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — hurry
  14. stand — to bear
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. perch — the fish
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. fall — the season
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. fall — to drop
  24. hide — to keep secret

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