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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. present — there
  4. object — an aim
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. mark — a grade
  8. present — a gift
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. deal — to handle
  11. object — to protest
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. present — the time now
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. mark — a trace
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. object — a thing
  19. game — a match
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. kick — in football
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. foot — a measure

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