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 had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. face — part of the head
  3. degree — temperature
  4. degree — an amount
  5. bank — for money
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. bank — for money
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. face — to confront
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. wax — to grow
  13. foot — a measure
  14. face — to point toward
  15. row — a line
  16. degree — from a university
  17. bank — of a river
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. row — to paddle
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. bowl — to roll

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