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: shower · spell · stand · march · wave · cabinet · court · pass

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. spell — a short time
  5. shower — rain
  6. march — the month
  7. shower — to wash
  8. pass — a permit
  9. stand — to bear
  10. spell — magic
  11. court — of law
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. spell — letters
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. march — music
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. march — the month
  20. court — for sport
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. court — of a king

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