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 120 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: kick · chair · club · pop · net · leaves · lean · board

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. lean — to bend
  3. net — in sport
  4. kick — in football
  5. club — a group
  6. pop — soda
  7. lean — thin
  8. club — for dancing
  9. pop — to visit
  10. net — for catching
  11. board — to get on
  12. net — after costs
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. club — for golf
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. pop — music
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — a professorship

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