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: can · net · arm · club · chair · mouse · march · mine

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. club — for golf
  5. chair — a leader
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. net — in sport
  8. march — the month
  9. march — music
  10. march — the month
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. net — after costs
  13. can — a tin
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. can — a tin
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. club — for dancing
  20. net — for catching
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. club — a group
  24. mine — for digging

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