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: jam · foot · wind · wake · rush · plane · fork · deal

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. rush — hurry
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. foot — a measure
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. plane — a tool
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. wind — moving air
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. wind — moving air
  14. deal — to handle
  15. wake — a trail
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — in a road
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — a big deal

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