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: ground · foot · chest · file · sharp · key · safe · bowl

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. key — in music
  4. chest — of your body
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. key — for a lock
  7. ground — crushed
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. ground — the earth
  10. sharp — clever
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. file — a document
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. chest — a box
  16. file — a tool
  17. key — the most important part
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. ground — a position
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. file — a line of people
  24. sharp — exactly

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