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 120 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 · lie · pitcher · straw · calf · cap · scale · bound

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bound — certain
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a hat
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bound — obliged
  15. cap — a lid
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. scale — size or range
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bound — tied together
  22. lie — to recline
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — for weighing

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