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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — to breed
  4. snap — to click
  5. land — to come down
  6. land — ground
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. ground — the earth
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. row — to paddle
  14. bear — the animal
  15. ground — a position
  16. row — a line
  17. lean — to bend
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. lean — thin
  20. land — a country
  21. mate — a partner
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. ground — crushed
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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