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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bass — the fish
  3. row — to paddle
  4. bass — low music
  5. face — part of the head
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. lean — to bend
  8. current — electric
  9. row — a line
  10. lean — thin
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stem — to come from
  16. current — of water
  17. charge — electricity
  18. current — happening now
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. face — to confront
  21. charge — a price
  22. face — to point toward
  23. can — a tin
  24. charge — in control

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