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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. wind — moving air
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wind — moving air
  14. sharp — clever
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. perch — the fish
  22. chair — a leader
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. nail — on a finger

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