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: lean · leaves · spell · pop · trunk · rush · game · object

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. rush — hurry
  3. lean — to bend
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. object — an aim
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — magic
  13. pop — soda
  14. object — to protest
  15. lean — thin
  16. game — wild animals
  17. pop — to visit
  18. object — a thing
  19. game — a match
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. pop — music
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. trunk — of a car

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