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: root · shower · arm · foot · bank · ball · wave · present

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. present — a gift
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bank — of a river
  7. ball — a great time
  8. present — there
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bank — for money
  11. root — of a plant
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. shower — rain
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. shower — to wash
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. root — of a word
  19. bank — for money
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. root — the cause
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. present — the time now
  24. foot — a measure

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