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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. cap — a lid
  4. foot — a measure
  5. track — a path
  6. tube — a container
  7. cap — of ice
  8. track — to keep track
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. fine — all right
  11. track — a song
  12. court — of law
  13. court — for sport
  14. court — of a king
  15. spring — of water
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. fine — high quality
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. spring — the season
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. spring — a coil
  23. cap — a hat
  24. tube — the underground

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