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 120 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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. pit — a fruit stone
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stem — to come from
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. game — wild animals
  9. clip — for paper
  10. clip — a video
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. clip — to cut
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. pit — a hole
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. current — happening now
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pit — in a race
  19. foot — a measure
  20. game — a match
  21. current — electric
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. current — of water
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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