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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. foot — a measure
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. fine — all right
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mine — for digging
  17. plane — a tool
  18. kick — in football
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. bark — to shout
  21. fine — high quality
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bowl — to roll

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