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 120 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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. bulb — for light
  6. hand — in cards
  7. land — a country
  8. land — ground
  9. foot — a measure
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rash — hasty
  13. spell — a short time
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rash — a series
  16. hand — help
  17. spell — magic
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. rest — what's left
  20. spell — letters
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. land — to come down
  23. rest — a break
  24. prune — to trim

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