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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. net — for catching
  6. bear — the animal
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. net — in sport
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bear — the animal
  13. game — wild animals
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. foot — a measure
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. rest — what's left
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. net — after costs
  24. game — a match

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