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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — music
  3. object — a thing
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. net — after costs
  6. lean — thin
  7. object — an aim
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. kick — in football
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bulb — for light
  12. fork — in a road
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. net — for catching
  15. bulb — for light
  16. object — to protest
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. lean — to bend
  21. net — in sport
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. rush — hurry

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