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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. staff — employees
  10. stock — shares
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. staff — a stick
  14. staff — employees
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. lean — to bend
  19. pass — a permit
  20. plane — a tool
  21. stock — goods
  22. lean — thin
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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