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 120 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 · net · tube · squash · stand · plane · leaves · fork

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — thin
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. net — for catching
  10. squash — to crush
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. tube — a container
  17. plane — a tool
  18. fork — in a road
  19. squash — the sport
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. net — after costs
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. net — in sport

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