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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. file — a document
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. file — a tool
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. content — the amount
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. cap — of ice
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. chair — a leader
  18. cap — a lid
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. file — a line of people
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. content — happy
  23. cap — a hat
  24. temple — a place of worship

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