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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. foot — a measure
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. charge — electricity
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. rest — what's left
  11. kid — to tease
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. charge — a price
  14. mate — a partner
  15. squash — the sport
  16. bark — to shout
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. charge — in control
  19. rest — a break
  20. squash — to crush
  21. dip — to sink
  22. mate — to breed
  23. kid — child
  24. mate — a friend

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