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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. craft — a skill
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. staff — employees
  9. land — to come down
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. lean — thin
  12. craft — boats
  13. land — ground
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. staff — a stick
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bulb — for light
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. staff — employees
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. land — a country
  24. bulb — for light

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