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: bay · date · foot · season · arm · present · deal · hide

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. date — the fruit
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. season — of the year
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. present — there
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. season — in sport
  18. present — the time now
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. foot — a measure
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — to handle
  24. present — a gift

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