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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. cap — a lid
  5. mark — a trace
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. wound — an injury
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. foot — a measure
  11. cap — a hat
  12. pop — music
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. wound — an injury
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. snap — to click
  18. mark — a grade
  19. pop — to visit
  20. mine — for digging
  21. pop — soda
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. cap — of ice
  24. leaves — lets stay

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