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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. tube — a container
  4. kid — child
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. chest — of your body
  9. chest — of your body
  10. plane — a tool
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. foot — a measure
  14. deal — to handle
  15. land — to come down
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. chest — a box
  18. land — a country
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. kid — to tease
  23. tube — the underground
  24. land — ground

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