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: ground · arm · face · bore · firm · sharp · can · season

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. bore — to drill
  3. firm — a company
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bore — to tire
  6. face — to confront
  7. season — in sport
  8. face — to point toward
  9. ground — crushed
  10. face — part of the head
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — steady
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. season — of the year
  15. can — a tin
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. ground — the earth
  18. ground — a position
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. can — a tin
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. sharp — clever

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