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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. net — after costs
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. charge — in control
  5. net — for catching
  6. charge — a price
  7. cell — a phone
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. pop — music
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. pop — to visit
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. track — a song
  14. track — a path
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. net — in sport
  17. face — to point toward
  18. charge — electricity
  19. track — to keep track
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — part of the head
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pop — soda

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