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: stick · coach · lash · patient · stand · fine · swing · wind

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. swing — music
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. fine — all right
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. stand — to bear
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. swing — in golf
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wind — moving air
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. fine — high quality
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. coach — a trainer

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