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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fork — in a road
  4. can — to be able to
  5. court — of law
  6. cue — a signal
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. firm — steady
  10. court — for sport
  11. cue — a hint
  12. can — a tin
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. band — a ring
  15. firm — decided
  16. court — of a king
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. firm — a company
  19. cue — for pool
  20. chair — a leader
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. band — a music group
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. can — a tin

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