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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: foot · track · cap · ball · patient · tear · safe · chest

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. chest — a box
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. tear — from crying
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. ball — a dance
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. tear — to rip
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. chest — of your body
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. cap — a hat
  15. chest — of your body
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. ball — a great time
  19. track — to keep track
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. track — a song
  22. cap — of ice
  23. tear — from crying
  24. cap — a lid

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