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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. track — a path
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stand — to bear
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. scale — in music
  10. lean — thin
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. track — to keep track
  14. row — to paddle
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. lean — to bend
  17. scale — size or range
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. plane — a tool
  20. track — a song
  21. row — a line
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. plane — in geometry

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