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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. march — the month
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. lean — thin
  6. content — happy
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. kick — in football
  19. march — music
  20. bank — for money
  21. content — the amount
  22. march — the month
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. trunk — of a tree

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