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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. perch — the fish
  3. staff — a stick
  4. squash — the sport
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — to bend
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. staff — employees
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — to bear
  17. lean — thin
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kick — in football
  20. staff — employees
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. season — in sport
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. season — of the year

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