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: current · firm · fall · rash · cue · patient · stand · pop

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pop — music
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — steady
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — hasty
  11. cue — for pool
  12. rash — a series
  13. current — of water
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pop — soda
  16. fall — the season
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. cue — a signal
  20. firm — a company
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — electric
  23. cue — a hint
  24. pop — to visit

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