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: can · rash · kick · ball · face · club · arm · bound

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. can — a tin
  3. bound — certain
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. can — a tin
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rash — hasty
  8. bound — tied together
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. face — to confront
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. ball — a great time
  16. club — for dancing
  17. bound — obliged
  18. face — to point toward
  19. ball — a dance
  20. can — to be able to
  21. kick — in football
  22. rash — a series
  23. face — part of the head
  24. club — for golf

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