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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. date — the fruit
  6. face — to confront
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. face — part of the head
  10. race — humankind
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. face — to point toward
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. chair — a leader
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. race — a contest
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. foot — a measure
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. race — the arms race

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