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: fall · arm · cue · fan · can · key · club · clip

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. fall — the season
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. can — a tin
  6. cue — a signal
  7. club — for golf
  8. key — in music
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. can — a tin
  11. cue — a hint
  12. club — for dancing
  13. club — a group
  14. clip — a video
  15. key — the most important part
  16. fall — to drop
  17. can — to be able to
  18. key — for a lock
  19. cue — for pool
  20. clip — to cut
  21. clip — for paper
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. arm — part of the body

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