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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. net — for catching
  6. snap — to click
  7. pound — a weight
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. last — to go on
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. net — after costs
  13. file — a document
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. net — in sport
  17. file — a line of people
  18. file — a tool
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. last — final
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. last — finally
  24. safe — a strongbox

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