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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bulb — for light
  5. file — a line of people
  6. march — music
  7. cell — in biology
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bulb — for light
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. file — a document
  13. file — a tool
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. march — the month
  18. cell — a phone
  19. march — the month
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. craft — a skill
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. craft — boats

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