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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — thin
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. object — a thing
  9. bulb — for light
  10. spell — a short time
  11. pit — a hole
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. spell — letters
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. object — to protest
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. spell — magic
  18. object — an aim
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. bulb — for light
  21. branch — a division
  22. lean — to bend
  23. pit — in a race
  24. branch — of a bank

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