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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. clip — for paper
  10. clip — to cut
  11. stand — to bear
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. clip — a video
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. stem — to come from
  17. chip — for betting
  18. lean — to bend
  19. snap — to click
  20. chip — to eat
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. lean — thin
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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