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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. pop — soda
  4. charge — electricity
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bulb — for light
  11. tear — from crying
  12. charge — a price
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. lean — to bend
  15. tear — from crying
  16. charge — in control
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pop — music
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. tear — to rip

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