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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. spring — a coil
  3. mark — a trace
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. object — to protest
  6. scale — size or range
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. scale — in music
  10. object — a thing
  11. lean — to bend
  12. mug — a cup
  13. object — an aim
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mug — a face
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. mug — to rob
  20. spring — the season
  21. spring — of water
  22. mark — a grade
  23. lean — thin
  24. branch — a division

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