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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. lean — to bend
  3. saw — the tool
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. present — the time now
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. present — there
  8. lean — thin
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — a series
  11. staff — employees
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. present — a gift
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. fork — in a road
  17. saw — the tool
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. plane — a tool
  20. staff — employees
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. plane — in geometry

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