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: craft · wound · stand · firm · coach · squash · lash · cell

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — decided
  3. squash — the sport
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wound — an injury
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. craft — boats
  15. squash — to crush
  16. firm — steady
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. craft — a skill
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. cell — in biology
  22. cell — a phone
  23. wound — an injury
  24. stand — to bear

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