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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. row — to paddle
  3. object — a thing
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. press — a publisher
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. object — an aim
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — in a road
  12. object — to protest
  13. press — newspapers
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. press — to push
  19. foot — a measure
  20. date — the fruit
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. wake — a trail
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. row — a line

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