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: root · date · pop · ruler · lean · drill · stand · hide

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. drill — army training
  4. drill — a practice
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. root — the cause
  8. lean — thin
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. pop — soda
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. stand — to bear
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. date — the fruit
  16. lean — to bend
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. root — of a plant
  21. pop — music
  22. root — of a word
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. pop — to visit

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