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 · cue · straw · scale · season · rule · deal · craft

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. craft — a skill
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. deal — to handle
  7. cue — a signal
  8. scale — in music
  9. rule — government
  10. season — in sport
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. craft — boats
  17. rule — a law
  18. scale — size or range
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. rule — to rule out

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