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 · bear · fall · rock · object · kid · patient · leaves

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fall — to drop
  5. rock — a stone
  6. fall — to drop
  7. lean — thin
  8. rock — music
  9. object — an aim
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. object — to protest
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. kid — child
  15. bear — the animal
  16. fall — the season
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. object — a thing
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. kid — to tease
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. lean — to rest against

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