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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. present — a gift
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. kick — in football
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. can — to be able to
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. present — the time now
  15. root — of a word
  16. can — a tin
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. root — of a plant
  20. can — a tin
  21. lie — to recline
  22. foot — a measure
  23. root — the cause
  24. present — there

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