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: lean · press · plane · sharp · field · wound · suit · content

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. press — newspapers
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. lean — thin
  7. field — a subject
  8. suit — clothes
  9. press — to push
  10. wound — an injury
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. plane — a tool
  13. field — for sport
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. suit — to fit
  17. wound — an injury
  18. content — happy
  19. content — the amount
  20. press — a publisher
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. lean — to bend
  23. field — farmland
  24. suit — in cards

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