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 120 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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. root — of a word
  3. snap — to click
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rash — a series
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. root — of a plant
  10. rash — hasty
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. root — the cause
  14. lean — thin
  15. stand — to bear
  16. chest — of your body
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. lean — to bend
  22. chest — a box
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. pitcher — a jug

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