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'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  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. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. perch — the fish
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pound — a weight
  16. cell — a phone
  17. vault — a safe
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cell — in biology
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  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