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 120 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: ground · fan · lean · leaves · stand · present · last · bear

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — to bend
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. present — there
  7. present — a gift
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. lean — thin
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stand — to bear
  15. present — the time now
  16. ground — the earth
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. last — to go on
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. last — final
  23. last — finally
  24. ground — a position

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