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: coach · lean · club · saw · stand · hide · ruler · rock

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. lean — thin
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. club — for golf
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. lean — to bend
  9. rock — a stone
  10. stand — to bear
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. club — a group
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. club — for dancing
  21. saw — the tool
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. saw — the tool

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