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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. chair — a leader
  5. game — wild animals
  6. wind — moving air
  7. lean — to bend
  8. wind — moving air
  9. game — a match
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. mug — a cup
  13. lean — thin
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mug — to rob
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. mug — a face
  24. jam — a tight spot

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