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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. prune — to trim
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. prune — to trim
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. content — happy
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. ground — a position
  11. ground — crushed
  12. craft — a skill
  13. ground — the earth
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. craft — boats
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. foot — a measure
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. content — the amount

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