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 120 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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stock — shares
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — completely
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. charge — in control
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. charge — a price
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. stem — to come from
  14. rest — a break
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. charge — electricity
  21. stock — goods
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. rest — what's left

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