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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. pit — a hole
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. game — wild animals
  7. suit — in cards
  8. spring — the season
  9. pit — in a race
  10. foot — a measure
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. suit — to fit
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. branch — a division
  16. spring — a coil
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. spring — of water
  22. game — a match
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. branch — of a tree

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