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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — part of the head
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. land — ground
  6. foot — a measure
  7. track — a path
  8. pop — music
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. kid — to tease
  11. land — a country
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. vault — a safe
  14. land — to come down
  15. kid — child
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. pop — soda
  18. track — a song
  19. pop — to visit
  20. track — to keep track
  21. face — to point toward
  22. rash — a series
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. rash — hasty

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