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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. field — farmland
  3. field — a subject
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — in control
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — low music
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bass — the fish
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. cell — a phone
  20. field — for sport
  21. lean — thin
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — all right
  24. cell — in biology

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