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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. rest — what's left
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. staff — employees
  6. hand — in cards
  7. object — a thing
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. staff — employees
  10. kick — in football
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. dip — to sink
  18. hand — help
  19. object — to protest
  20. perch — the fish
  21. rest — what's left
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. object — an aim
  24. rest — a break

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