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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. lean — thin
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. shower — rain
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. prune — to trim
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. shower — to wash
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. prune — to trim
  15. mine — for digging
  16. plane — a tool
  17. lean — to bend
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rush — hurry

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