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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. season — of the year
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. cap — a hat
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. season — in sport
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. lean — to bend
  13. stem — to come from
  14. ball — a great time
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. cap — a lid
  17. vault — a safe
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. cap — of ice
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. lean — thin

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