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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. ball — a great time
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. hand — help
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. hand — in cards
  10. net — after costs
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. net — in sport
  13. squash — to crush
  14. rule — a law
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. ball — a dance
  17. net — for catching
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. rule — government
  24. squash — the sport

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