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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  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. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. kid — to tease
  3. content — happy
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. lean — thin
  6. stand — to bear
  7. charge — electricity
  8. rash — a series
  9. pass — a permit
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. kid — child
  12. lean — to bend
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. charge — a price
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. rash — hasty
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. charge — in control
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. content — the amount
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — to succeed
  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