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

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. lean — to bend
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a grade
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. file — a tool
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. lean — thin
  12. bass — low music
  13. file — a line of people
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bass — the fish
  17. file — a document
  18. mark — a trace
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. wake — a trail

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