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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. club — for dancing
  4. squash — to crush
  5. club — for golf
  6. bear — the animal
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. tube — a container
  12. pitch — completely
  13. march — the month
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. squash — the sport
  17. bear — the animal
  18. tube — the underground
  19. march — music
  20. march — the month
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. club — a group

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