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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. snap — to click
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. bank — for money
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. foot — a measure
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. scale — size or range
  16. tube — a container
  17. chair — a leader
  18. bank — for money
  19. bat — the animal
  20. tube — the underground
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. scale — in music

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