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: spell · hide · arm · bark · foot · bowl · current · pound

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. spell — a short time
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. spell — magic
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. current — happening now
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. current — electric
  17. spell — letters
  18. current — of water
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bark — to shout
  24. pound — a weight

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