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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. last — finally
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cap — a hat
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. foot — a measure
  8. last — final
  9. last — to go on
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a lid
  12. net — in sport
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. net — after costs
  15. wound — an injury
  16. scale — in music
  17. rest — a break
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. scale — size or range
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. net — for catching
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. rest — what's left
  24. foot — part of the body

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