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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. charge — in control
  8. chip — for betting
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. charge — a price
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. stem — to come from
  19. charge — electricity
  20. lean — thin
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rush — hurry
  24. leaves — of a tree

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