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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. saw — the tool
  4. charge — in control
  5. saw — the tool
  6. band — a ring
  7. band — a music group
  8. lean — to bend
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. kid — child
  15. kid — to tease
  16. stand — to bear
  17. craft — boats
  18. charge — electricity
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. charge — a price
  21. craft — a skill
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. lean — thin
  24. stand — for spectators

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