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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lean · tear · fall · board · firm · fork

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. fall — to drop
  3. tear — from crying
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — to rip
  6. lean — to bend
  7. fall — the season
  8. firm — steady
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. lean — thin
  12. board — to get on
  13. fork — in a road
  14. firm — decided
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. firm — a company
  18. fork — to eat with

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