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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. snap — to click
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. key — for a lock
  9. spell — letters
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. tear — from crying
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — in music
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. tear — from crying
  20. spell — magic
  21. spell — a short time
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. tear — to rip
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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