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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. deal — to handle
  5. tube — a container
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. pitch — completely
  15. foot — a measure
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bark — to shout
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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