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: cabinet · roll · racket · clip · lie · stand · charge · fall

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. charge — in control
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. roll — a cake
  9. charge — a price
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. fall — the season
  12. stand — to bear
  13. fall — to drop
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. clip — for paper
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. roll — a list
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. fall — to drop
  21. charge — electricity
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. clip — a video
  24. clip — to cut

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