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 116 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 · pitcher · spring · ruler · stand · bay · perch · fall

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. spring — a coil
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. fall — to drop
  6. lean — thin
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. spring — the season
  11. lean — to bend
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. fall — the season
  20. stand — to bear
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. fall — to drop
  23. perch — the fish
  24. spring — of water

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