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: fork · foot · branch · swing · ground · kick · chest · face

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. chest — a box
  3. fork — in a road
  4. swing — to play on
  5. face — part of the head
  6. kick — in football
  7. ground — crushed
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. chest — of your body
  13. face — to point toward
  14. swing — in golf
  15. ground — the earth
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. swing — music
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. branch — a division
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. chest — of your body
  22. face — to confront
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. foot — a measure

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