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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bore — to tire
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. bore — to drill
  7. vault — a safe
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. row — to paddle
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bark — to shout
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. row — a line
  19. pit — a hole
  20. stock — shares
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stock — goods
  24. foot — part of the body

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