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: rash · stick · object · coach · firm · lean · field · wind

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. firm — a company
  4. object — a thing
  5. wind — moving air
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. object — to protest
  8. field — a subject
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wind — moving air
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. firm — steady
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. lean — thin
  18. rash — hasty
  19. firm — decided
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. field — for sport
  22. object — an aim
  23. rash — a series
  24. lean — to bend

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