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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. fine — all right
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — moving air
  7. lean — to bend
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. fine — high quality
  14. pop — to visit
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. kick — in football
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. lean — thin
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — music

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