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: row · roll · plane · stand · calf · lean · rock · straw

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. stand — to bear
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. rock — a stone
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. rock — music
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. row — a line
  12. row — to paddle
  13. roll — a list
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. roll — a cake
  22. lean — thin
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. straw — a straw man

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