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: bear · stick · chair · firm · rule · deal · trunk · arm

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. firm — decided
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. firm — steady
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. chair — a leader
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. bear — the animal
  15. firm — a company
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. rule — government
  21. rule — a law
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bear — to put up with

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