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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. stand — to bear
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. firm — steady
  7. row — a line
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. dip — to sink
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lean — thin
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. row — to paddle
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. mark — a trace
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — decided
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. mark — a grade
  24. row — a quarrel

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