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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. pass — a permit
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. charge — a price
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. foot — a measure
  10. deal — to handle
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. charge — in control
  15. date — the fruit
  16. tube — a container
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. foot — 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