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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. drill — army training
  3. kick — in football
  4. drill — the tool
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. ground — a position
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. ground — crushed
  11. mine — for digging
  12. suit — in cards
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. ground — the earth
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. drill — a practice

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