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 112 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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. lean — to bend
  3. pop — soda
  4. spring — a coil
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. rest — what's left
  7. spring — of water
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — a series
  11. rest — a break
  12. deal — to handle
  13. ground — a position
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. lean — thin
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. spring — the season
  18. pop — to visit
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. rest — what's left
  22. ground — crushed
  23. pop — music
  24. ground — the earth

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