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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mate — to breed
  5. craft — a skill
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. wound — an injury
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. craft — boats
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mate — a friend
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. patient — a sick person

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