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: net · sharp · suit · arm · root · chest · nail · cap

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. chest — of your body
  4. suit — to fit
  5. chest — of your body
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — of ice
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. suit — in cards
  10. net — for catching
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. cap — a hat
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. sharp — clever
  16. suit — clothes
  17. root — of a plant
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. root — of a word
  21. net — after costs
  22. root — the cause
  23. net — in sport
  24. nail — for a hammer

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