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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rush — hurry
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. capital — a city
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. hand — in cards
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. hand — help
  17. capital — money
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. toast — bread
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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