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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. pit — in a race
  4. file — a tool
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. can — a tin
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. kick — in football
  9. pit — a hole
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. can — to be able to
  12. foot — a measure
  13. can — a tin
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. mark — a grade
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. file — a document
  20. file — a line of people
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. foot — part of the body

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