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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. object — a thing
  3. chip — to eat
  4. game — a match
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. kick — in football
  7. chip — for betting
  8. object — to protest
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. game — wild animals
  13. foot — a measure
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. stand — to bear
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. object — an aim
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. game — a kind of play

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