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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. pop — soda
  3. spell — letters
  4. lean — to bend
  5. spell — a short time
  6. lean — thin
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. fall — to drop
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. plane — a tool
  12. spell — magic
  13. fall — to drop
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bound — certain
  16. pop — music
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. bound — tied together
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. pop — to visit
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bound — obliged

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