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: mouse · foot · race · vault · leaves · roll · dip · bat

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. roll — a list
  7. vault — a safe
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. race — humankind
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. roll — a cake
  15. dip — to sink
  16. race — the arms race
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. race — a contest
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. bat — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. roll — on a roll

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