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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. craft — a skill
  4. dip — to sink
  5. season — in sport
  6. cell — in biology
  7. net — for catching
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. net — in sport
  10. race — humankind
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. race — a contest
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. net — after costs
  16. cell — a phone
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. season — of the year
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. race — the arms race
  23. craft — boats
  24. cell — in a prison

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