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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. rash — a series
  3. charge — a price
  4. club — for dancing
  5. rest — what's left
  6. prune — to trim
  7. club — a group
  8. rash — hasty
  9. lean — thin
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. charge — in control
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. charge — electricity
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. rest — a break
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. prune — to trim
  23. club — for golf
  24. rush — to hurry

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