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 120 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. swing — to play on
  6. board — a committee
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. chip — to eat
  9. swing — in golf
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. present — a gift
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. chip — for betting
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. board — to get on
  19. present — the time now
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. plane — a tool
  22. present — there
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. swing — music

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