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: date · stand · row · mark · firm · tube · wake · rock

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. date — the fruit
  3. firm — decided
  4. rock — music
  5. wake — a trail
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. stand — to bear
  9. tube — a container
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. rock — a stone
  17. row — to paddle
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. firm — a company
  20. mark — a grade
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. mark — a trace
  23. row — a line
  24. date — on the calendar

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