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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. fork — in a road
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ground — crushed
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bulb — for light
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bulb — for light
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to click
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — the earth
  24. stand — to bear

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