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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. branch — a division
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rule — a law
  6. rule — government
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. press — to push
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. press — a publisher
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. craft — boats
  17. vault — a safe
  18. craft — a skill
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. press — newspapers
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. branch — of a bank

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