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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. kick — in football
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. cell — a phone
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. firm — steady
  8. foot — a measure
  9. chest — a box
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. firm — decided
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. chest — of your body
  16. cell — in biology
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. firm — a company
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. chest — of your body
  24. foot — the bottom

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