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

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. bank — of a river
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bore — to tire
  5. fall — to drop
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. board — a committee
  9. bank — for money
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. stem — to come from
  14. fall — the season
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. mark — a grade
  17. kick — in football
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to drill
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bank — for money
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. kick — with a leg

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