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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. mate — a partner
  5. pop — soda
  6. mate — a friend
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — what's left
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — to handle
  12. pop — to visit
  13. stem — to come from
  14. pop — music
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. mate — to breed
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. rest — a break
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. foot — a measure

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