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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. spring — of water
  3. fine — all right
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. firm — steady
  7. rest — what's left
  8. cue — a hint
  9. rest — what's left
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. firm — decided
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — for pool
  14. rule — a law
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. firm — a company
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. spring — the season
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. fine — high quality
  21. rest — a break
  22. spring — a coil
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rule — government

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