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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. stand — to bear
  3. chest — a box
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. board — a committee
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. wind — moving air
  9. track — a song
  10. chest — of your body
  11. foot — a measure
  12. game — a match
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. board — to get on
  15. track — a path
  16. track — to keep track
  17. chest — of your body
  18. wind — moving air
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. game — wild animals
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. stand — for spectators

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