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 like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bound — obliged
  5. cell — in biology
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bound — tied together
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. bound — certain
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. track — to keep track
  14. foot — a measure
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — for betting
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. track — a song
  22. cell — a phone
  23. chip — to eat
  24. track — a path

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