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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. present — the time now
  3. last — final
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. last — to go on
  6. foot — a measure
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. rule — government
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. rule — a law
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. saw — the tool
  19. present — a gift
  20. saw — the tool
  21. last — finally
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. present — there

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