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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. stem — to come from
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. object — an aim
  6. firm — steady
  7. object — a thing
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. object — to protest
  10. firm — a company
  11. spell — letters
  12. chip — to eat
  13. spell — magic
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. pass — a permit
  16. firm — decided
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. chip — for betting
  20. spell — a short time
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. foot — a measure
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. fan — a supporter

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