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: lean · toast · wake · bore · wind · suit · stick · mouse

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. bore — to drill
  5. suit — clothes
  6. toast — bread
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. lean — thin
  9. bore — to tire
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. wind — moving air
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wake — a trail
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. suit — to fit
  22. lean — to bend
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. suit — in cards

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