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: cell · nail · foot · rash · dip · spell · mate · cabinet

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. foot — a measure
  4. spell — letters
  5. mate — to breed
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rash — a series
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. mate — a friend
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. spell — magic
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. mate — a partner
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. cell — in biology
  21. rash — hasty
  22. spell — a short time
  23. dip — to sink
  24. cell — a phone

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