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 are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bound — obliged
  3. land — a country
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — certain
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — in music
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bulb — for light
  13. land — to come down
  14. key — the most important part
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rest — what's left
  19. chip — for betting
  20. rest — a break
  21. land — ground
  22. rest — what's left
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. wax — to grow

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