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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. board — a committee
  4. chest — of your body
  5. face — to confront
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. face — to point toward
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. face — part of the head
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. chest — a box
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. current — happening now
  16. board — to get on
  17. current — electric
  18. perch — the fish
  19. craft — boats
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. foot — a measure
  22. chest — of your body
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. craft — a skill

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