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: jam · net · leaves · mine · foot · rule · plane · deal

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. net — in sport
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. net — for catching
  11. rule — a law
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. plane — a tool
  14. deal — to handle
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. net — after costs
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. rule — government
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. mine — for digging

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