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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. mug — to rob
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. foot — a measure
  5. scale — size or range
  6. mug — a face
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. prune — to trim
  12. ground — a position
  13. bear — the animal
  14. ground — the earth
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. scale — in music
  17. mug — a cup
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. prune — to trim
  22. ground — crushed
  23. pitch — completely
  24. scale — for weighing

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