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. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lean — to bend
  7. stem — to come from
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. firm — a company
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bulb — for light
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. pit — a hole
  17. plane — a tool
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pit — in a race
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — steady

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