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: pass · stand · ground · band · club · last · mouse · tear

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. tear — from crying
  4. club — for dancing
  5. club — for golf
  6. band — a ring
  7. ground — the earth
  8. pass — a permit
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. ground — crushed
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. last — finally
  13. tear — from crying
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. club — a group
  17. last — to go on
  18. ground — a position
  19. band — a music group
  20. last — final
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. tear — to rip
  24. mouse — the animal

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