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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Let us try to swim against 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. snap — to speak sharply
  3. mark — a trace
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — a tool
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bass — the fish
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. pitch — completely
  13. snap — to click
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rest — a break
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. current — electric
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. current — happening now
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bass — low music
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. current — of water

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