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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. land — ground
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. land — to come down
  8. land — a country
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. pound — a weight
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — music
  16. rule — government
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. rule — a law
  19. can — a tin
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. kick — in football
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. arm — a part of something

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