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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. can — a tin
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. fork — in a road
  5. face — part of the head
  6. foot — a measure
  7. wound — an injury
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. can — to be able to
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. face — to confront
  12. rock — music
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. can — a tin
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. kid — child
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. rock — a stone
  21. kid — to tease
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. face — to point toward
  24. wound — an injury

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