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: deal · stand · straw · lean · tear · club · temple · can

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. can — a tin
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. club — for dancing
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. lean — to bend
  9. deal — to handle
  10. tear — from crying
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. stand — to bear
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. club — for golf
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. can — to be able to
  19. tear — from crying
  20. club — a group
  21. lean — thin
  22. tear — to rip
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. can — a tin

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