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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  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. foot — part of the body
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. can — a tin
  4. wound — an injury
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. race — a contest
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. can — a tin
  10. race — the arms race
  11. can — to be able to
  12. snap — to click
  13. race — humankind
  14. wound — an injury
  15. band — a ring
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. band — a music group
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. chair — a leader
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. patient — a sick person
  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