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: bear · last · foot · chest · race · leaves · chip · board

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. chest — a box
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chest — of your body
  9. foot — a measure
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. race — humankind
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bear — the animal
  14. last — final
  15. last — finally
  16. last — to go on
  17. race — a contest
  18. chest — of your body
  19. race — the arms race
  20. board — to get on
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. board — a committee
  24. bear — the animal

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