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: stand · firm · fan · wake · pitcher · straw · coach · safe

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  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. safe — out of danger
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — steady
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. wake — a trail
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. stand — to bear
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. coach — a trainer
  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