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 120 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: rule · arm · fall · deal · coach · stock · can · rest

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. fall — the season
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. stock — shares
  7. rule — government
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. rest — what's left
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. deal — to handle
  18. can — a tin
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — to drop
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. stock — goods
  24. rule — a law

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