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: arm · net · pitcher · charge · ground · stick · wound · band

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. charge — in control
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. band — a ring
  8. charge — electricity
  9. wound — an injury
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. net — for catching
  14. wound — an injury
  15. ground — crushed
  16. net — in sport
  17. ground — a position
  18. band — a music group
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. ground — the earth
  23. charge — a price
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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