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: tube · bay · field · hide · lean · root · game · safe

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. root — the cause
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. lean — thin
  9. root — of a plant
  10. field — farmland
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. root — of a word
  13. game — wild animals
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. field — for sport
  17. tube — a container
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. field — a subject
  21. tube — the underground
  22. game — a match
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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