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 put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. pitch — completely
  6. rest — what's left
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. root — of a word
  10. roll — a cake
  11. root — the cause
  12. chest — of your body
  13. foot — a measure
  14. chest — a box
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. rest — what's left
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. rest — a break
  19. chest — of your body
  20. roll — a list
  21. vault — a safe
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. chair — a leader
  24. root — of a plant

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