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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  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. cue — a hint
  2. lean — to bend
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. cue — a signal
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. lean — thin
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — to drop
  10. cue — for pool
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. charge — a price
  16. fall — the season
  17. charge — electricity
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. branch — a division
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. charge — in control
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bark — to shout
  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