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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. rash — a series
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. cold — not warm
  14. board — to get on
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. board — a committee
  17. rash — hasty
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. cold — an illness
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. deal — to handle
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. deal — a big deal

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