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: hide · root · arm · last · firm · face · foot · toast

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. face — to confront
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. foot — a measure
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. last — final
  7. root — of a word
  8. firm — steady
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. face — part of the head
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. face — to point toward
  13. root — of a plant
  14. root — the cause
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. toast — bread
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. firm — decided
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. firm — a company
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. last — to go on
  24. last — finally

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