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: pitcher · race · firm · current · dip · stand · cap · date

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. firm — steady
  5. stand — to bear
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. race — the arms race
  8. current — happening now
  9. cap — a hat
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. firm — decided
  13. date — the fruit
  14. dip — to sink
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. race — humankind
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — of ice
  19. current — electric
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. race — a contest
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. current — of water
  24. firm — a company

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