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 · fall · lash · fork · object · mate · face · key

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. fall — to drop
  5. key — in music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. object — an aim
  9. face — to point toward
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. object — a thing
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. face — part of the head
  14. mate — a partner
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. fall — the season
  17. mate — to breed
  18. fall — to drop
  19. face — to confront
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. key — for a lock
  23. fork — in a road
  24. object — to protest

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