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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: arm · pitcher · mark · squash · wax · lie · kick · mouse

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. kick — in football
  6. squash — to crush
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. squash — the sport
  9. mark — a grade
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mark — a trace
  14. lie — to recline
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wax — to grow
  24. pitcher — a jug

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