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: kick · stem · bowl · present · drill · ball · bark · arm

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. present — there
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. present — a gift
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. ball — a dance
  11. stem — to come from
  12. kick — in football
  13. drill — army training
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. drill — a practice
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. present — the time now
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. drill — the tool

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