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: toast · cabinet · date · snap · degree · mark · foot · arm

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. foot — a measure
  4. degree — an amount
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. degree — from a university
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. mark — a grade
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. date — the fruit
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. mark — a trace
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. snap — to click
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. degree — temperature
  24. toast — bread

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