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

Word bank: rash · game · lie · safe · lean · net · swing · foot

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. lean — to bend
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. lie — to recline
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rash — a series
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. lean — thin
  10. rash — hasty
  11. net — after costs
  12. foot — a measure
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. net — in sport
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. net — for catching
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. game — a match
  21. swing — music
  22. swing — to play on
  23. game — wild animals
  24. swing — in golf

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