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: hide · stock · wound · stand · band · firm · bat · season

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. season — in sport
  3. band — a music group
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. stand — to bear
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wound — an injury
  8. season — of the year
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. firm — decided
  11. stock — shares
  12. band — a ring
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. wound — an injury
  16. firm — steady
  17. bat — the animal
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. stock — goods
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. firm — a company
  24. hide — animal skin

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