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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. stem — to come from
  4. foot — a measure
  5. cue — for pool
  6. spell — letters
  7. drill — army training
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. wound — an injury
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. spell — magic
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. drill — a practice
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. drill — the tool
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cue — a signal
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. wound — an injury
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. spell — a short time

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