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: kick · arm · fine · foot · leaves · ground · vault · staff

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. ground — crushed
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. staff — employees
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. fine — high quality
  10. kick — in football
  11. fine — all right
  12. staff — a stick
  13. ground — a position
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. foot — a measure
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. ground — the earth
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. vault — a safe

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