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: rush · stand · deal · pitch · wound · land · fall · cue

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. pitch — completely
  3. cue — a signal
  4. rush — hurry
  5. fall — the season
  6. cue — for pool
  7. land — to come down
  8. deal — to handle
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. land — a country
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. cue — a hint
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. wound — an injury
  22. stand — to bear
  23. land — ground
  24. deal — an agreement

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