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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. lean — to bend
  4. cell — in biology
  5. club — for golf
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. mug — to rob
  8. squash — the sport
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. mug — a face
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. lean — thin
  13. bore — to drill
  14. mug — a cup
  15. object — a thing
  16. squash — to crush
  17. cell — a phone
  18. club — for dancing
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — an aim
  21. bore — to tire
  22. club — a group
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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