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 120 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: stand · wound · charge · mine · drill · pass · bay · arm

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. stand — to bear
  6. charge — in control
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. charge — electricity
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. drill — the tool
  15. wound — an injury
  16. drill — a practice
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. wound — an injury
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — a permit
  22. drill — army training
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. charge — a price

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