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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. bat — the animal
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. fine — high quality
  7. rock — music
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. kid — child
  12. suit — clothes
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. spring — of water
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. suit — to fit
  20. spring — the season
  21. rock — a stone
  22. fine — all right
  23. kid — to tease
  24. bat — for baseball

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