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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. game — wild animals
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bound — certain
  9. last — to go on
  10. last — finally
  11. craft — a skill
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. bound — obliged
  14. last — final
  15. game — a match
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. craft — boats
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. bound — tied together
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. stand — to bear

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