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: fine · pass · field · cap · stand · chip · date · mark

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. pass — a permit
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. chip — for betting
  5. mark — a grade
  6. cap — a lid
  7. fine — high quality
  8. stand — to bear
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. field — a subject
  11. chip — to eat
  12. field — farmland
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. date — the fruit
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. cap — a hat
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. field — for sport
  20. mark — a trace
  21. fine — all right
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. cap — of ice
  24. fine — a penalty

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