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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. craft — a skill
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — there
  8. press — newspapers
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. dip — to sink
  12. march — music
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. present — the time now
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. press — a publisher
  17. press — to push
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kick — in football
  20. march — the month
  21. march — the month
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — boats
  24. lash — to lash out

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