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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. row — to paddle
  6. row — a line
  7. charge — electricity
  8. season — in sport
  9. face — to point toward
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. charge — a price
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. charge — in control
  15. foot — a measure
  16. face — part of the head
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. season — of the year
  20. face — to confront
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. rush — hurry

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