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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. season — of the year
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. lean — to bend
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. lean — thin
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. club — for golf
  14. season — in sport
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stand — to bear
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. plane — a tool
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. club — for dancing
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  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