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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. lean — thin
  3. staff — a stick
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. net — after costs
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. rush — hurry
  8. clip — to cut
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. lean — to bend
  12. pop — soda
  13. staff — employees
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. clip — a video
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. staff — employees
  18. net — in sport
  19. pop — to visit
  20. fork — in a road
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. clip — for paper
  23. net — for catching
  24. rush — a thrill

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