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 120 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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. bass — low music
  4. lean — to bend
  5. staff — employees
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — moving air
  12. rule — government
  13. bass — the fish
  14. rock — music
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lean — thin
  18. rule — a law
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. staff — a stick
  23. staff — employees
  24. rock — a stone

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