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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. rock — a stone
  3. cap — a lid
  4. scale — size or range
  5. tear — from crying
  6. content — the amount
  7. tear — to rip
  8. tear — from crying
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lean — thin
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. content — happy
  13. scale — in music
  14. cap — of ice
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — music
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. lean — to bend
  23. cap — a hat
  24. scale — for weighing

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