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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. vault — a safe
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. press — to push
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pit — in a race
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. press — newspapers
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. kid — child
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. kid — to tease

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