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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. roll — a list
  4. roll — a cake
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. cue — for pool
  9. key — the most important part
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. cue — a signal
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. race — the arms race
  15. race — humankind
  16. band — a music group
  17. cue — a hint
  18. key — in music
  19. band — a ring
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. stem — to come from
  23. race — a contest
  24. foot — a measure

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