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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. lean — to bend
  3. dip — to sink
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. club — a group
  6. capital — money
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. lean — thin
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. object — an aim
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. object — a thing
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. capital — a city
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. club — for dancing
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. club — for golf
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. dip — a sauce

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