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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. lean — thin
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — in football
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. prune — to trim
  8. dip — to sink
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. lean — to bend
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. field — farmland
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. field — for sport
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. prune — to trim
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. field — a subject
  23. tube — a container
  24. tube — the underground

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