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 · hand · drill · mark · ball · bulb · capital · bay

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. drill — the tool
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. capital — money
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. hand — help
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. capital — a city
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. drill — a practice
  18. mark — a trace
  19. drill — army training
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. arm — a part of something

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