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: ball · dip · pit · foot · fine · fan · rest · board

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. ball — a great time
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. rest — what's left
  7. board — to get on
  8. fine — all right
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. rest — what's left
  12. ball — a dance
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. board — a committee
  17. pit — a hole
  18. foot — a measure
  19. dip — to sink
  20. pit — in a race
  21. rest — a break
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. fan — a supporter

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