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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. ball — a dance
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. ball — a great time
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. fine — all right
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mark — a trace
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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