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: stand · mug · swing · rock · rush · wake · hide · pop

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. pop — to visit
  3. mug — to rob
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rock — music
  6. wake — a trail
  7. mug — a cup
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. swing — to play on
  19. rock — a stone
  20. swing — in golf
  21. swing — music
  22. pop — soda
  23. pop — music
  24. mug — a face

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