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 120 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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — a measure
  3. sharp — clever
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. dip — to sink
  7. wound — an injury
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wound — an injury
  12. craft — boats
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bore — to tire
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rush — hurry
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. lie — to recline
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bore — to drill
  24. craft — a skill

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