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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a great time
  7. snap — to click
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. roll — a cake
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fine — all right
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. rash — a series
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rash — hasty
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rush — hurry
  23. roll — a list
  24. jam — in traffic

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