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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. can — a tin
  3. foot — a measure
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. can — a tin
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pop — soda
  12. pop — music
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rash — a series
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bat — the animal
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rule — a law
  20. rule — government
  21. stand — to bear
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. pop — to visit
  24. rule — to rule out

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