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: land · bore · row · stand · coach · rule · scale · bat

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bat — the animal
  5. row — to paddle
  6. rule — a law
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. land — ground
  9. bore — to drill
  10. land — to come down
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. rule — government
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. land — a country
  19. scale — size or range
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. scale — in music
  22. row — a line
  23. stand — to bear
  24. scale — for weighing

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