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: foot · craft · arm · object · degree · sharp · vault · staff

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. object — a thing
  3. foot — a measure
  4. staff — a stick
  5. degree — temperature
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. staff — employees
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. object — an aim
  15. craft — a skill
  16. degree — from a university
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — boats
  19. sharp — clever
  20. object — to protest
  21. vault — a safe
  22. staff — employees
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. degree — an amount

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