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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mug — a face
  6. mine — for digging
  7. chest — a box
  8. suit — to fit
  9. root — of a plant
  10. foot — a measure
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. root — the cause
  19. chest — of your body
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. chest — of your body
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. root — of a word
  24. mug — a cup

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