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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. key — in music
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. field — a subject
  5. key — for a lock
  6. charge — a price
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. field — farmland
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. field — for sport
  13. lean — to bend
  14. toast — bread
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. charge — electricity
  18. pit — a hole
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. charge — in control
  21. pit — in a race
  22. key — the most important part
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. calf — of the leg

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