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: foot · hide · lean · cap · stock · cabinet · band · game

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. game — a match
  3. stock — goods
  4. cap — a lid
  5. cap — a hat
  6. lean — thin
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. band — a music group
  9. stock — shares
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. band — a ring
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cap — of ice
  16. game — wild animals
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — a measure
  24. lean — to rest against

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