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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. toast — bread
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bank — for money
  7. lean — to bend
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. date — the fruit
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. bank — of a river
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bank — for money
  16. lean — thin
  17. rock — music
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. chair — a leader
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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