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: deal · foot · face · hand · stem · clip · coach · mug

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. hand — in cards
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. clip — for paper
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. face — to confront
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. deal — to handle
  9. mug — a cup
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. face — to point toward
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. clip — a video
  17. mug — to rob
  18. hand — help
  19. stem — to come from
  20. face — part of the head
  21. clip — to cut
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mug — a face
  24. hand — part of the body

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