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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. land — to come down
  3. lean — thin
  4. roll — a cake
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. lean — to bend
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bank — for money
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bank — of a river
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bank — for money
  18. fine — all right
  19. fine — high quality
  20. land — ground
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. land — a country
  24. roll — a list

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