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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. fork — in a road
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. pop — soda
  7. mate — a friend
  8. band — a ring
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. stand — to bear
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. scale — in music
  13. mate — a partner
  14. band — a music group
  15. pop — music
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. scale — size or range
  19. pop — to visit
  20. mate — to breed
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. lean — thin
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. lean — to bend

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