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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. cue — for pool
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. court — for sport
  8. wind — moving air
  9. kick — in football
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. firm — decided
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. cue — a signal
  17. firm — a company
  18. court — of a king
  19. firm — steady
  20. foot — a measure
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. court — of law
  23. cue — a hint
  24. arm — a part of something

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