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: pit · stand · plane · hide · cell · firm · suit · present

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. pit — a hole
  3. present — a gift
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — a company
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — clothes
  10. pit — in a race
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — to bear
  13. present — the time now
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. present — there
  17. cell — in biology
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. firm — decided
  21. plane — a tool
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. suit — in cards

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