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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. pit — a hole
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fork — in a road
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. foot — a measure
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. pitch — completely
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. bat — the animal
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. staff — employees
  22. pit — in a race
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

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