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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bear — the animal
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. spell — letters
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bear — the animal
  7. cell — in biology
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. spell — magic
  11. staff — employees
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. staff — employees
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. staff — a stick
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. court — of law
  21. court — for sport
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. cell — a phone
  24. court — of a king

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