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 120 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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. face — to point toward
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. rash — a series
  7. drill — army training
  8. bank — for money
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bank — of a river
  12. drill — the tool
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. drill — a practice
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. pound — a weight
  19. rash — hasty
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bank — for money
  22. face — part of the head
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. face — to confront

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