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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. drill — the tool
  3. row — to paddle
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. shower — rain
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. tube — a container
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. shower — to wash
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. root — of a plant
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — music
  18. root — the cause
  19. drill — a practice
  20. root — of a word
  21. drill — army training
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. row — a line
  24. tube — the underground

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