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 · court · can · nail · face · net · roll · perch

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. foot — a measure
  10. can — a tin
  11. court — of a king
  12. net — after costs
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. face — to point toward
  15. roll — a cake
  16. can — a tin
  17. roll — a list
  18. face — part of the head
  19. court — of law
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. court — for sport
  22. net — for catching
  23. can — to be able to
  24. net — in sport

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