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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. can — a tin
  5. firm — a company
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. rest — what's left
  8. firm — steady
  9. suit — clothes
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — of water
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. file — a line of people
  15. file — a tool
  16. file — a document
  17. suit — in cards
  18. firm — decided
  19. suit — to fit
  20. mine — for digging
  21. can — to be able to
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. can — a tin

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