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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. firm — steady
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. row — to paddle
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — a company
  12. rock — a stone
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. rock — music
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. sharp — clever
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. row — a line
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. date — the fruit
  22. chair — a leader
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — to rest against

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