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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. kid — child
  3. pop — soda
  4. foot — a measure
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. chest — a box
  8. chest — of your body
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pop — music
  11. chip — to eat
  12. mark — a trace
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. mark — a grade
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chip — for betting
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pop — to visit
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. kid — to tease
  24. patient — a sick person

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