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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. lean — to bend
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. roll — a cake
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. roll — a list
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. stem — to come from
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lean — thin
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. toast — bread
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stem — of a plant

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