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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pound — a weight
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. shower — rain
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. craft — boats
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. can — to be able to
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. craft — a skill
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. foot — a measure
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. shower — to wash
  24. chair — a leader

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