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: track · foot · rock · chip · chest · spell · season · leaves

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. chest — a box
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. foot — a measure
  6. spell — letters
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. track — a song
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. spell — magic
  15. chest — of your body
  16. track — a path
  17. chip — for betting
  18. season — of the year
  19. rock — a stone
  20. spell — a short time
  21. chip — to eat
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. track — to keep track
  24. chest — of your body

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