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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. bark — to shout
  4. stock — shares
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. pop — music
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — soda
  14. wound — an injury
  15. lean — thin
  16. press — a publisher
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. stock — goods
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. press — to push
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. lean — to bend

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