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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. craft — a skill
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to confront
  6. charge — a price
  7. bat — the animal
  8. charge — in control
  9. craft — boats
  10. charge — electricity
  11. foot — a measure
  12. face — to point toward
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. staff — a stick
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. file — a tool
  18. staff — employees
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. file — a document
  22. staff — employees
  23. file — a line of people
  24. bat — in an idiom

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