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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. cold — not warm
  3. cold — an illness
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. lean — thin
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. charge — in control
  11. spring — the season
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. charge — electricity
  17. spring — of water
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. charge — a price
  21. spring — a coil
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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