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: bay · stand · chair · wake · fine · scale · nail · suit

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. chair — a leader
  3. fine — high quality
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. scale — size or range
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. stand — to bear
  10. suit — to fit
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. suit — in cards
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. wake — a trail
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. fine — all right
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. scale — in music
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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