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: row · lean · firm · tube · staff · content · swing · fan

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. row — a line
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — to bend
  5. staff — employees
  6. firm — decided
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. swing — music
  9. lean — thin
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — the underground
  13. staff — employees
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. swing — to play on
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. content — the amount
  18. staff — a stick
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. tube — a container
  21. content — happy
  22. swing — in golf
  23. firm — steady
  24. row — to paddle

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