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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. tube — the underground
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. lean — thin
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. lean — to bend
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. bark — to shout
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. foot — a measure
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bark — of a tree

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