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 · lean · ruler · field · spring · racket · club · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. spring — of water
  3. club — a group
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. lean — thin
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. lean — to bend
  9. kick — in football
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. club — for golf
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. spring — a coil
  16. field — for sport
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. club — for dancing
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. field — a subject
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. field — farmland
  24. spring — the season

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