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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. fall — to drop
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. current — happening now
  5. net — for catching
  6. bear — the animal
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — the fruit
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. foot — a measure
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. fall — to drop
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. current — of water
  16. fall — the season
  17. current — electric
  18. net — after costs
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. net — in sport
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the animal

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