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: swing · lean · leaves · pound · mate · kick · ground · fan

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. lean — thin
  3. swing — in golf
  4. pound — a weight
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. ground — the earth
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. swing — to play on
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. ground — a position
  13. swing — music
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a friend
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. mate — a partner
  20. kick — in football
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. lean — to bend
  23. ground — crushed
  24. fan — to cool the air

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