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 120 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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. lean — to bend
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. band — a ring
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. lean — thin
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. hand — in cards
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — a price
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. band — a music group
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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