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 116 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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. field — a subject
  4. firm — steady
  5. field — for sport
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. field — farmland
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bore — to tire
  17. firm — a company
  18. bore — to drill
  19. lean — thin
  20. rock — a stone
  21. firm — decided
  22. rock — music
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — a price

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