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: drill · wake · scale · dip · rush · stand · game · chest

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. dip — to sink
  3. chest — a box
  4. chest — of your body
  5. rush — hurry
  6. drill — army training
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. scale — in music
  9. game — a match
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. drill — a practice
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. chest — of your body
  19. game — wild animals
  20. drill — the tool
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. stand — to bear
  23. scale — size or range
  24. dip — a sauce

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