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 124 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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. lean — thin
  3. content — the amount
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. bound — obliged
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. fall — to drop
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. content — happy
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bound — tied together
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bound — certain
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. fall — the season
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. tube — a container
  19. fall — to drop
  20. tube — the underground
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. lean — to bend
  24. pass — a permit

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