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: fall · safe · object · bowl · capital · wound · lean · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. lean — thin
  3. fall — the season
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. fall — to drop
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. capital — money
  9. wound — an injury
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. lean — to bend
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. object — an aim
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. object — to protest
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. capital — a city
  22. object — a thing
  23. fall — to drop
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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