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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. can — to be able to
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. wake — a trail
  8. can — a tin
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. cell — a phone
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. cell — in biology
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. pit — a hole
  22. can — a tin
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. pit — in a 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