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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. club — for dancing
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. snap — to click
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stock — shares
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. club — for golf
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. mine — for digging
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. lean — thin
  19. club — a group
  20. toast — bread
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. stock — goods
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. toast — the most admired

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