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

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bound — tied together
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. spell — magic
  7. charge — a price
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. land — to come down
  10. bound — obliged
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. spell — letters
  13. spell — a short time
  14. charge — electricity
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bound — certain
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. charge — in control
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. land — ground

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