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: hand · racket · pit · bound · arm · bulb · stand · lean

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bound — obliged
  6. hand — help
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. bound — certain
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. pit — a hole
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stand — to bear
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bulb — for light
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. hand — in cards
  20. pit — in a race
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bound — tied together
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. hand — part of the body

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