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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. can — a tin
  3. lean — thin
  4. march — the month
  5. rash — hasty
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. march — the month
  8. can — to be able to
  9. staff — employees
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — happy
  15. can — a tin
  16. march — music
  17. rash — a series
  18. lean — to bend
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — in football
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. staff — employees
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. rash — on the skin

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