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 · wound · charge · swing · bear · cabinet · rock · mark

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. wound — an injury
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — a price
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rock — a stone
  9. wound — an injury
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rock — music
  14. swing — in golf
  15. mark — a grade
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. mark — a trace
  21. swing — music
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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