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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pop — to visit
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. charge — in control
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. hand — in cards
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. charge — a price
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. hand — help
  20. pop — soda
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pop — music
  24. charge — electricity

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