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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  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. kick — in football
  2. lean — thin
  3. prune — to trim
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. key — in music
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. lean — to bend
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. shower — to wash
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. tube — a container
  13. key — for a lock
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mug — a cup
  16. tube — the underground
  17. shower — rain
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. prune — to trim
  20. key — the most important part
  21. mug — a face
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. kick — with a leg
  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