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: can · rest · stick · bank · land · bat · sharp · lean

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bat — the animal
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rest — what's left
  8. sharp — clever
  9. can — to be able to
  10. rest — a break
  11. land — ground
  12. can — a tin
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. land — a country
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. lean — thin
  18. bank — for money
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. lean — to bend
  21. bank — for money
  22. land — to come down
  23. bank — of a river
  24. sharp — exactly

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