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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. spring — of water
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mine — for digging
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. object — a thing
  8. bear — the animal
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. spring — a coil
  13. object — to protest
  14. saw — the tool
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bear — the animal
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. spring — the season
  22. object — an aim
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bear — to put up with

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