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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. mine — for digging
  3. fork — in a road
  4. staff — employees
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. firm — steady
  10. craft — a skill
  11. firm — a company
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. firm — decided
  15. craft — boats
  16. staff — a stick
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. staff — employees
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. foot — the bottom

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