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: nail · mine · stick · safe · coach · stand · tear · row

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. tear — from crying
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. row — to paddle
  11. stand — to bear
  12. row — a line
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. tear — from crying
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. tear — to rip
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mine — for digging
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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