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: race · sharp · track · nail · dip · kick · shower · foot

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. foot — a measure
  3. dip — to sink
  4. track — to keep track
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. sharp — clever
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. track — a song
  10. shower — rain
  11. track — a path
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. shower — to wash
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. race — the arms race
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. kick — in football
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. race — humankind
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. race — a contest
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. nail — on a finger

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