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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. foot — a measure
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. land — ground
  7. chest — a box
  8. wax — to grow
  9. land — a country
  10. roll — a list
  11. land — to come down
  12. spring — of water
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. spring — the season
  16. spring — a coil
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. roll — a cake
  19. chest — of your body
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chest — of your body
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. chip — for betting
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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