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: arm · band · bat · board · mouse · ball · mug · mate

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. band — a music group
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. ball — a great time
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. mate — to breed
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. board — a committee
  15. bat — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. board — to get on
  18. mate — a partner
  19. band — a ring
  20. mug — to rob
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mug — a face
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mate — a friend

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