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

Word bank: cabinet · fork · lie · arm · calf · jam · cold · charge

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. fork — in a road
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — in control
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cold — not warm
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cold — an illness
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. lie — to recline

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