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 · saw · cue · toast · bay · bat · can · hand

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. saw — the tool
  3. hand — help
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. can — a tin
  8. foot — a measure
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. bat — the animal
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. can — to be able to
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. toast — bread
  15. cue — a signal
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. hand — in cards
  18. cue — a hint
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. can — a tin
  22. cue — for pool
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bay — a horse colour

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