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: rush · staff · safe · tube · fall · coach · foot · chest

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. foot — a measure
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. staff — employees
  5. chest — of your body
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. fall — to drop
  9. chest — a box
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. chest — of your body
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fall — to drop
  17. staff — a stick
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rush — hurry
  20. staff — employees
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — the underground
  23. tube — a container
  24. foot — part of the body

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