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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. clip — a video
  3. charge — electricity
  4. staff — a stick
  5. lean — thin
  6. deal — to handle
  7. clip — to cut
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. ball — a great time
  10. suit — clothes
  11. staff — employees
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. charge — in control
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. suit — in cards
  17. charge — a price
  18. ball — a dance
  19. staff — employees
  20. suit — to fit
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. clip — for paper
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. lean — to rest against

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