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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. track — a song
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. track — to keep track
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. present — there
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. content — happy
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. kick — in football
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. content — the amount
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. track — a path
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. present — a gift

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