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: wave · lie · chair · arm · court · charge · file · rest

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. file — a tool
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. court — for sport
  6. file — a line of people
  7. court — of law
  8. charge — a price
  9. file — a document
  10. court — of a king
  11. rest — what's left
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. lie — to recline
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. rest — a break
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. rest — what's left
  21. chair — a leader
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — electricity
  24. arm — part of the body

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