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 · stick · staff · track · bound · saw · pit · cold

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. pit — a hole
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bound — certain
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. track — a path
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bound — obliged
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. track — to keep track
  15. cold — not warm
  16. saw — the tool
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. track — a song
  19. staff — employees
  20. foot — a measure
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. cold — an illness
  23. bound — tied together
  24. staff — employees

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