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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to bend
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. rock — a stone
  8. tube — a container
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. charge — electricity
  13. rock — music
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. prune — to trim
  17. charge — in control
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bark — to shout
  22. tube — the underground
  23. charge — a price
  24. stem — to come from

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