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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. tube — the underground
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stem — to come from
  7. plane — a tool
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. lean — to bend
  11. mug — a cup
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. scale — in music
  14. mug — to rob
  15. tube — a container
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. scale — size or range
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. foot — a measure
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. lean — thin

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