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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. object — to protest
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — a trail
  7. lean — to bend
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. charge — a price
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. charge — in control
  17. lean — thin
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. charge — electricity
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bark — to shout
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — an aim

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