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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. field — for sport
  8. hand — in cards
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. field — farmland
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. kick — in football
  16. hand — help
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. wax — to grow
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. field — a subject
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mouse — the animal

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