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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. current — happening now
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. lie — to recline
  6. rash — a series
  7. current — of water
  8. chest — of your body
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. track — a song
  12. current — electric
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. track — a path
  15. chest — a box
  16. sharp — clever
  17. rash — hasty
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. track — to keep track
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. foot — a measure
  24. calf — a young animal

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