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 120 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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. object — an aim
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. ground — crushed
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. shower — rain
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. object — a thing
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. shower — to wash
  15. pound — a weight
  16. ground — the earth
  17. lean — thin
  18. bore — to drill
  19. ground — a position
  20. dip — to sink
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. object — to protest
  23. bore — to tire
  24. hide — to keep secret

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