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 · scale · patient · track · shower · trunk · snap · date

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. shower — to wash
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. scale — size or range
  7. shower — rain
  8. scale — in music
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. track — to keep track
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. snap — to click
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. date — the fruit
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. track — a song
  23. track — a path
  24. foot — a measure

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