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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. content — happy
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. deal — to handle
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. fall — to drop
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. rule — government
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fall — the season
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bear — the animal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. content — the amount

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