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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. stem — to come from
  3. club — a group
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. club — for dancing
  11. club — for golf
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. snap — to click
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pass — a permit
  18. ruler — a monarch

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