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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  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 — a measure
  2. ball — a dance
  3. face — part of the head
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. face — to confront
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. staff — employees
  8. bass — the fish
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — a stick
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. ball — a great time
  14. face — to point toward
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bass — low music
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. sharp — clever
  23. ball — a round shape
  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