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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. file — a line of people
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. file — a tool
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. mine — for digging
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. foot — a measure
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. track — to keep track
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. track — a song
  19. dip — to sink
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. saw — the tool
  22. file — a document
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  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