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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cap — a hat
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. land — to come down
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. lean — thin
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. key — in music
  12. bore — to drill
  13. tube — the underground
  14. land — ground
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. tube — a container
  17. key — the most important part
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pitch — completely
  20. land — a country
  21. bore — to tire
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. key — for a lock

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