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: bore · march · firm · last · coach · rule · swing · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. firm — a company
  4. rule — government
  5. bore — to drill
  6. firm — steady
  7. march — music
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. rule — a law
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. last — finally
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. swing — to play on
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. march — the month
  16. firm — decided
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. march — the month
  19. swing — music
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bore — to tire
  22. last — final
  23. swing — in golf
  24. last — to go on

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