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: rush · spring · land · fine · foot · scale · kick · firm

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. firm — a company
  3. land — ground
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — hurry
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. fine — high quality
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. fine — all right
  10. land — to come down
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. firm — steady
  13. spring — a coil
  14. spring — the season
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. land — a country
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — in football
  19. scale — size or range
  20. firm — decided
  21. scale — in music
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. foot — a measure

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