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: bat · fine · firm · patient · rock · lean · swing · stand

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. firm — decided
  3. lean — to bend
  4. stand — to bear
  5. rock — music
  6. swing — in golf
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. fine — all right
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. fine — high quality
  14. swing — music
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. firm — a company
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. firm — steady
  24. swing — to play 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