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 · bank · straw · chip · rule · chest

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. lean — thin
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chest — a box
  6. rule — a law
  7. lean — to bend
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. bank — of a river
  10. chest — of your body
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chest — of your body
  13. bank — for money
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bank — for money
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. rule — government

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