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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a dance
  3. chest — of your body
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. chest — a box
  6. stock — shares
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — a tool
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stock — goods
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. object — to protest
  15. roll — a list
  16. roll — a cake
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. foot — a measure
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — an aim
  21. chest — of your body
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. ball — a great time

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