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: present · foot · wound · arm · current · ball · fine · season

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. present — the time now
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. fine — all right
  7. ball — a great time
  8. wound — an injury
  9. foot — a measure
  10. season — in sport
  11. ball — a dance
  12. wound — an injury
  13. season — of the year
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. present — there
  16. current — electric
  17. current — happening now
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. present — a gift
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. current — of water
  24. fine — high quality

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