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 120 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 · foot · cabinet · straw · tube · key · kid · fork

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. foot — a measure
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. key — in music
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. kid — to tease
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. tube — a container
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. key — the most important part
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. key — for a lock
  18. kid — child
  19. tube — the underground
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. fork — in a road
  24. straw — dry grass

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