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: pop · mouse · rock · stick · stand · wind · march · lean

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. lean — thin
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. march — the month
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. march — music
  8. march — the month
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — soda
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. lean — to bend
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — moving air
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — a stone
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — to bear
  24. pop — music

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