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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. spring — the season
  5. spring — of water
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. squash — to crush
  8. cap — of ice
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. can — a tin
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. swing — music
  13. can — to be able to
  14. spring — a coil
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. squash — the sport
  17. swing — in golf
  18. cap — a lid
  19. cap — a hat
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. rule — government
  22. rule — a law
  23. can — a tin
  24. swing — to play on

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