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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. stem — to come from
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. wound — an injury
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. lean — thin
  12. lie — to recline
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. firm — steady
  20. lean — to bend
  21. wound — an injury
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. firm — a company
  24. lean — to rest against

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