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: file · pitcher · chest · foot · stem · nail · toast · chip

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. foot — a measure
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. chest — of your body
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. toast — bread
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. file — a line of people
  9. stem — to come from
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. chest — of your body
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — to eat
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. file — a document
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. file — a tool

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