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: nail · rest · jam · cell · foot · arm · mouse · rash

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cell — a phone
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. cell — in biology
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. rash — a series
  18. rest — what's left
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rest — a break
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. foot — a measure
  24. rest — what's left

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