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: kid · sharp · cap · mouse · foot · stem · row · jam

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. row — to paddle
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. foot — a measure
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. sharp — clever
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. kid — to tease
  10. stem — to come from
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — of ice
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. row — a line
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. cap — a lid
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. kid — child
  24. mouse — the animal

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