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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. toast — bread
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. capital — money
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to bend
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. capital — a city
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. snap — to click
  24. racket — for tennis

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