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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. rock — music
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bat — the animal
  6. mark — a grade
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. wind — moving air
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. cue — for pool
  14. lean — thin
  15. mark — a trace
  16. foot — a measure
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. wind — moving air
  20. lean — to bend
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. rock — to move gently

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