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: net · fan · ground · lie · mark · foot · can · squash

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. squash — the sport
  3. foot — a measure
  4. net — in sport
  5. mark — a grade
  6. ground — a position
  7. ground — crushed
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. ground — the earth
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. lie — to recline
  12. can — a tin
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. net — for catching
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. can — to be able to
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. can — a tin
  20. squash — to crush
  21. mark — a trace
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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