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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: snap · cold · can · rule · club · mark · foot · arm

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. foot — a measure
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. can — to be able to
  9. rule — a law
  10. club — for golf
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a trace
  13. club — for dancing
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. club — a group
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. mark — a grade
  18. rule — government
  19. can — a tin
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. cold — not warm
  23. can — a tin
  24. snap — to click

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