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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. staff — a stick
  3. lean — thin
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. staff — employees
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. chest — of your body
  13. stock — shares
  14. pound — a weight
  15. ball — a great time
  16. lean — to bend
  17. chest — a box
  18. chest — of your body
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. staff — employees
  21. ball — a dance
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. stock — goods
  24. pound — for dogs

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