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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. ground — the earth
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. spring — of water
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. foot — a measure
  8. ground — crushed
  9. can — a tin
  10. spring — a coil
  11. staff — employees
  12. can — a tin
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. spring — the season
  15. can — to be able to
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. cell — a phone
  18. ground — a position
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. cell — in biology
  21. staff — employees
  22. face — to point toward
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to confront

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