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: chest · racket · toast · straw · foot · date · plane · ruler

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. chest — a box
  3. chest — of your body
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. chest — of your body
  7. plane — a tool
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. toast — bread
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. date — the fruit
  24. date — on the calendar

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