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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. kick — in football
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. snap — to click
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. vault — a safe
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. file — a line of people
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. file — a document
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. file — a tool
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. arm — part of the body

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