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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. kid — child
  4. pass — a permit
  5. track — a path
  6. band — a music group
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — to push
  11. kid — to tease
  12. track — a song
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. band — a ring
  15. track — to keep track
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. press — a publisher
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. sharp — clever
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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