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 · toast · fork · mate · bass · chest · chair · ball

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. ball — a dance
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — low music
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bass — the fish
  9. chair — a leader
  10. chest — a box
  11. fork — in a road
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. foot — a measure
  14. mate — to breed
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. toast — bread
  17. mate — a partner
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. chest — of your body
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. ball — a great time
  24. foot — the bottom

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