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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. wind — moving air
  3. board — a committee
  4. lean — thin
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. toast — bread
  8. board — to get on
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. rest — a break
  14. wind — moving air
  15. lean — to bend
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bass — the fish
  20. pound — a weight
  21. bore — to drill
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. bass — low music

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