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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. wake — a trail
  3. row — to paddle
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. swing — music
  7. row — a line
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. ground — crushed
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. current — electric
  12. chest — of your body
  13. ground — a position
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. ground — the earth
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. lean — thin
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chest — a box
  20. current — of water
  21. lean — to bend
  22. current — happening now
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. swing — to play on

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