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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. pound — a weight
  4. ground — a position
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. key — for a lock
  8. chest — of your body
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. foot — a measure
  11. chest — of your body
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. ground — crushed
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. snap — to click
  16. key — in music
  17. chest — a box
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. key — the most important part
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — the fruit
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ground — the earth

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