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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. kick — in football
  5. charge — electricity
  6. deal — to handle
  7. key — in music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. content — happy
  10. tear — from crying
  11. row — to paddle
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. tear — to rip
  15. row — a line
  16. charge — a price
  17. charge — in control
  18. content — the amount
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. tear — from crying
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. key — for a lock

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