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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bank — for money
  4. rule — government
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. tube — a container
  8. pop — to visit
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. pop — music
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. pop — soda
  14. lean — thin
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bank — for money
  17. dip — to sink
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. tube — the underground
  20. bank — of a river
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rule — a law

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