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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. lean — thin
  3. ground — crushed
  4. lean — to bend
  5. ground — a position
  6. pound — a weight
  7. plane — a tool
  8. swing — music
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. ground — the earth
  12. mark — a grade
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. swing — to play on
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. stand — to bear
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. mark — a trace
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. swing — in golf

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