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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bound — obliged
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. band — a ring
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. band — a music group
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bound — tied together
  10. mug — a cup
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. wind — moving air
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. mug — to rob
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. mark — a trace
  17. foot — a measure
  18. mark — a grade
  19. bound — certain
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. mug — a face
  22. wind — moving air
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. jam — in traffic

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