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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. rock — music
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. lean — to bend
  9. mine — for digging
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — the tool
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. rock — a stone
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. stand — to bear
  20. drill — a practice
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. lean — thin

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