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 · stand · sharp · fan · coach · cell · calf · rest

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rest — what's left
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lean — thin
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. cell — in biology
  12. stand — to bear
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. sharp — clever
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. rest — a break
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. cell — a phone
  24. rest — what's left

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