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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  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. foot — the bottom
  2. net — for catching
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. branch — a division
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. rush — hurry
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. net — in sport
  11. foot — a measure
  12. rest — what's left
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. track — to keep track
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. net — after costs
  18. cold — an illness
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. cold — not warm
  21. track — a song
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. track — a path
  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