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: club · arm · face · fine · foot · sharp · suit · cue

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. suit — to fit
  5. cue — a signal
  6. fine — all right
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. cue — for pool
  9. suit — clothes
  10. foot — a measure
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. face — to confront
  14. suit — in cards
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — for golf
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. face — part of the head
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. club — a group
  22. sharp — clever
  23. face — to point toward
  24. cue — a hint

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