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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. net — after costs
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — to rip
  6. tear — from crying
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fall — to drop
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — to bear
  12. lean — thin
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. lean — to bend
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. net — in sport
  19. fall — the season
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. net — for catching
  23. sharp — clever
  24. fall — to drop

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