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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. lean — thin
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. toast — bread
  6. cap — a lid
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. row — to paddle
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. row — a line
  16. cap — a hat
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. lean — to bend
  22. cap — of ice
  23. rock — music
  24. rush — hurry

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