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 · wound · present · staff · firm · lean · fork · plane

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. rash — hasty
  3. firm — decided
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. lean — to bend
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. firm — a company
  8. present — the time now
  9. rash — a series
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. staff — a stick
  12. firm — steady
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. staff — employees
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. staff — employees
  18. fork — in a road
  19. plane — a tool
  20. wound — an injury
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. wound — an injury
  23. present — there
  24. present — a gift

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