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: firm · coach · cold · arm · tube · pound · court · rule

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. court — of a king
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. tube — a container
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. cold — not warm
  13. cold — an illness
  14. rule — government
  15. firm — decided
  16. pound — a weight
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. firm — steady
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. firm — a company
  21. rule — a law
  22. court — for sport
  23. court — of law
  24. tube — the underground

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