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: mug · pound · firm · kid · face · court · arm · mine

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. face — to point toward
  4. court — of law
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. kid — child
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mine — for digging
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. court — of a king
  11. pound — a weight
  12. face — to confront
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — decided
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. firm — a company
  17. face — part of the head
  18. mug — to rob
  19. court — for sport
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. kid — to tease
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mug — a face

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