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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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 — of a plant
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. game — a match
  6. charge — a price
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. foot — a measure
  9. game — wild animals
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. snap — to click
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. rush — hurry
  15. charge — in control
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. stem — to come from
  22. charge — electricity
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. rush — to hurry

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