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: rule · mouse · sharp · mate · drill · arm · hand · rash

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  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. hand — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. mate — to breed
  5. drill — the tool
  6. mate — a partner
  7. sharp — clever
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rash — a series
  10. rash — hasty
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. rule — a law
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. hand — help
  17. drill — army training
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mate — a friend
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. drill — a practice
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. hand — in cards
  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