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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. cue — for pool
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. wind — moving air
  11. stock — goods
  12. foot — a measure
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. cue — a signal
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stock — shares
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a lid
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. wind — moving air
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cap — a hat

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