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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. lean — to bend
  4. kid — to tease
  5. kid — child
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. club — for golf
  9. squash — the sport
  10. pit — a hole
  11. club — a group
  12. content — the amount
  13. pit — in a race
  14. content — happy
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. squash — to crush
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. lean — thin
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. club — for dancing

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