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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. spell — magic
  5. spell — letters
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. key — in music
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. bore — to tire
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. wind — moving air
  13. spell — a short time
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. wind — moving air
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — shares
  20. bore — to drill
  21. key — for a lock
  22. foot — a measure
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bore — gave birth

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