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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. chest — a box
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. chest — of your body
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. suit — to fit
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. stock — goods
  13. degree — from a university
  14. chest — of your body
  15. suit — in cards
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. degree — an amount
  18. degree — temperature
  19. rock — a stone
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. perch — the fish
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. stock — shares

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