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: object · sharp · pop · wave · lie · lean · racket · pound

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. object — to protest
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. pop — to visit
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. pop — soda
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pound — a weight
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. lie — to recline
  18. object — a thing
  19. sharp — clever
  20. lean — thin
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pop — music
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. object — an aim

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