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: foot · saw · hand · board · tube · cell · pass · pit

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — a measure
  3. tube — a container
  4. hand — help
  5. saw — the tool
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. pass — a permit
  10. board — a committee
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. board — to get on
  13. saw — the tool
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. pit — a hole
  16. tube — the underground
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. cell — in biology
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. cell — a phone
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pit — in a race
  24. hand — in cards

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