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: track · wind · coach · firm · chest · hide · stand · content

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. chest — a box
  6. firm — decided
  7. wind — moving air
  8. content — happy
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. wind — moving air
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — of your body
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. track — a song
  18. stand — to bear
  19. track — to keep track
  20. firm — a company
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. content — the amount
  23. track — a path
  24. firm — steady

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