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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. saw — the tool
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — a measure
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. lean — to bend
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. drill — a practice
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. drill — army training
  14. wound — an injury
  15. lean — thin
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. saw — the tool
  18. drill — the tool
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. stem — to come from
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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