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 · racket · shower · stem · hide · fork · dip · roll

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. roll — a cake
  8. dip — to sink
  9. shower — rain
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. roll — a list
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. fork — in a road
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. shower — to wash

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