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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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. fall — the season
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — completely
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. kid — to tease
  9. chest — of your body
  10. chest — a box
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — to drop
  13. chest — of your body
  14. stand — to bear
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. kid — child
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. dip — to sink
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. pass — a permit
  24. stand — for spectators

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