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: dip · temple · prune · chest · charge · foot · field · staff

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. charge — in control
  3. dip — to sink
  4. foot — a measure
  5. chest — of your body
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. staff — a stick
  8. chest — a box
  9. field — farmland
  10. prune — to trim
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. chest — of your body
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. charge — a price
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. charge — electricity
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. field — a subject
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. prune — to trim
  24. field — for sport

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