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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. net — after costs
  5. lean — thin
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. chest — a box
  9. rest — what's left
  10. key — the most important part
  11. chip — to eat
  12. rest — what's left
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bark — to shout
  15. net — in sport
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chest — of your body
  18. foot — a measure
  19. chest — of your body
  20. rest — a break
  21. key — in music
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. key — for a lock

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