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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. toast — bread
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. lie — to recline
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. last — final
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. object — a thing
  12. rash — a series
  13. degree — from a university
  14. degree — an amount
  15. object — an aim
  16. degree — temperature
  17. last — finally
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. rash — hasty
  21. last — to go on
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. object — to protest

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