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 · root · march · nail · stand · lie · wound · fall

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. fall — to drop
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. wound — an injury
  9. pass — a permit
  10. fall — the season
  11. march — the month
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. root — of a plant
  15. fall — to drop
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. stand — to bear
  18. root — the cause
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. root — of a word
  24. lie — to recline

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