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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. present — there
  3. cue — a hint
  4. last — finally
  5. object — a thing
  6. last — final
  7. present — the time now
  8. club — for dancing
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — a group
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. last — to go on
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. cue — for pool
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. cell — a phone
  20. foot — a measure
  21. cell — in biology
  22. object — an aim
  23. cue — a signal
  24. present — a gift

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