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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  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. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. object — to protest
  6. cell — in biology
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. ball — a dance
  9. object — an aim
  10. march — music
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. march — the month
  13. pit — in a race
  14. march — the month
  15. ball — a great time
  16. pit — a hole
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. object — a thing
  21. cell — a phone
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. stand — to bear
  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