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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. lean — thin
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. land — ground
  10. plane — a tool
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — high quality
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. lie — to recline
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. land — to come down
  22. fine — all right
  23. land — a country
  24. snap — to click

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