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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. lean — thin
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. court — of a king
  6. stand — to bear
  7. root — of a plant
  8. perch — the fish
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. bound — certain
  11. lean — to bend
  12. root — the cause
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. court — for sport
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. charge — in control
  17. root — of a word
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. court — of law
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — tied together
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — a price

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