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: deal · mark · suit · drill · mine · arm · rule · chair

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. suit — to fit
  9. mine — for digging
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. suit — in cards
  12. deal — to handle
  13. rule — a law
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. suit — clothes
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. drill — a practice
  18. rule — government
  19. drill — army training
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. mark — a grade
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. chair — a leader
  24. mark — a trace

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