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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. charge — a price
  5. content — happy
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. spell — letters
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. spell — a short time
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. charge — electricity
  13. spell — magic
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. charge — in control
  19. dip — to sink
  20. content — the amount
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. foot — part of the body

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