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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. lean — thin
  4. bear — the animal
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. pitch — completely
  8. root — of a word
  9. land — ground
  10. root — of a plant
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. land — a country
  17. spell — magic
  18. bear — the animal
  19. root — the cause
  20. lean — to bend
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. spell — letters
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. land — to come down

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