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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. rest — a break
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. net — in sport
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wind — moving air
  7. rest — what's left
  8. file — a line of people
  9. firm — steady
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. file — a tool
  13. wind — moving air
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — for catching
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. rest — what's left
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. firm — decided
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. firm — a company
  24. file — a document

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