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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  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 bend
  2. tube — the underground
  3. mate — a partner
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. bank — for money
  10. tube — a container
  11. stand — to bear
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bank — for money
  15. cell — a phone
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. lean — thin
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bank — of a river
  21. mate — to breed
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. mate — a friend
  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