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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. squash — to crush
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. kick — in football
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. kid — child
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. squash — the sport
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — a safe
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. mate — to breed
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. kid — to tease
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — a partner
  24. squash — the vegetable

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