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: foot · toast · plane · perch · roll · race · pitcher · bound

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. roll — a cake
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bound — tied together
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. race — a contest
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. perch — the fish
  16. bound — obliged
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. toast — bread
  19. race — the arms race
  20. bound — certain
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. roll — a list
  23. race — humankind
  24. plane — a tool

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