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 116 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. lean — thin
  3. pit — in a race
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bound — obliged
  6. object — to protest
  7. bound — certain
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. bound — tied together
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. swing — in golf
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — a hole
  17. swing — to play on
  18. swing — music
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. object — a thing
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. object — an aim

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