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 laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. squash — to crush
  5. cap — of ice
  6. toast — bread
  7. cap — a hat
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. spring — a coil
  10. chest — of your body
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. spring — the season
  14. foot — a measure
  15. spring — of water
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. cap — a lid
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. squash — the sport
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. wave — with your hand

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