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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. toast — bread
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. degree — an amount
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. degree — from a university
  11. foot — a measure
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. degree — temperature
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. sharp — clever
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. track — a song
  19. pound — a weight
  20. track — a path
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. track — to keep track
  24. pass — a permit

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