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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. lean — to bend
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. press — a publisher
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bear — the animal
  7. press — to push
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. key — in music
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. key — the most important part
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. key — for a lock
  22. press — newspapers
  23. lean — thin
  24. racket — for tennis

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