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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. current — electric
  3. spell — a short time
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. wound — an injury
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — a hole
  9. spell — letters
  10. current — happening now
  11. pit — in a race
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. spell — magic
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. lean — thin
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. lean — to bend
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. current — of water
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. branch — a division
  24. stand — to bear

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