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 116 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. lean — to bend
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. rest — what's left
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. kid — to tease
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. club — for dancing
  10. stock — goods
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. plane — a tool
  13. stock — shares
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. club — a group
  16. lean — thin
  17. rest — a break
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. kid — child
  20. club — for golf
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. rest — what's left

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