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: pass · firm · foot · net · mark · wound · tube · spring

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. tube — a container
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. net — for catching
  5. spring — of water
  6. foot — a measure
  7. net — in sport
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — a company
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. net — after costs
  13. spring — a coil
  14. tube — the underground
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wound — an injury
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. pass — a permit
  21. firm — steady
  22. spring — the season
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. mark — a grade

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