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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. content — the amount
  4. club — for golf
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. mug — a face
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. date — the fruit
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. content — happy
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. club — for dancing
  20. foot — a measure
  21. club — a group
  22. mug — a cup
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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