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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. field — farmland
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. sharp — clever
  6. mark — a trace
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. lean — to bend
  9. field — a subject
  10. object — to protest
  11. mark — a grade
  12. field — for sport
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. cell — a phone
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — a thing
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. lie — to recline
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. cell — in biology
  23. lean — thin
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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