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: bat · stand · race · lie · bank · cabinet · wind · chest

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. chest — a box
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bat — the animal
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bank — for money
  12. wind — moving air
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. bank — for money
  15. chest — of your body
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. chest — of your body
  19. race — the arms race
  20. race — humankind
  21. wind — moving air
  22. lie — to recline
  23. race — a contest
  24. lie — an untruth

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