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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. lean — thin
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. shower — to wash
  9. shower — rain
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. court — of law
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. court — for sport
  14. rush — hurry
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. court — of a king
  19. chair — a leader
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stand — to bear
  23. lean — to bend
  24. chair — to sit 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