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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. plane — a tool
  5. lean — to bend
  6. row — a line
  7. hand — in cards
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. lean — thin
  10. scale — in music
  11. deal — to handle
  12. row — to paddle
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rule — government
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rule — a law
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. scale — size or range
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. hand — help
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. hand — part of the body

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