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 116 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. mate — a friend
  3. lean — thin
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. net — after costs
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pitch — completely
  10. mate — to breed
  11. rock — music
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. lean — to bend
  15. mate — a partner
  16. net — for catching
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. net — in sport
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bark — to shout

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