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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. lean — to bend
  3. lean — thin
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. court — for sport
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. pit — in a race
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. bore — to drill
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. court — of a king
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. snap — to click
  19. rule — a law
  20. bore — to tire
  21. pit — a hole
  22. court — of law
  23. rule — government
  24. pit — a fruit 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