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

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. fork — in a road
  3. cold — an illness
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. can — to be able to
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bass — the fish
  10. can — a tin
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. spell — letters
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. spell — magic
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. pitch — completely
  20. cold — not warm
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. spell — a short time
  23. bass — low music
  24. can — a tin

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