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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. cue — a hint
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. cue — for pool
  6. field — a subject
  7. plane — a tool
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. cue — a signal
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. sharp — clever
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. lean — thin
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. field — farmland
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. field — for sport
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. rush — hurry
  23. lean — to bend
  24. plane — in geometry

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