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 120 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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. march — music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. hand — help
  6. bulb — for light
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. march — the month
  9. march — the month
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rule — a law
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. row — to paddle
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. hand — in cards
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. rule — government

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