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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bass — low music
  4. saw — the tool
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pound — a weight
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. lean — to bend
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitch — completely
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. lean — thin
  22. stem — to come from
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. bass — the fish

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