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 120 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 · chair · rock · kick · stand · kid · pop · dip

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. rock — a stone
  3. pop — to visit
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. rock — music
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. kid — to tease
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. kid — child
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. kick — in football
  14. dip — to sink
  15. pop — soda
  16. stand — to bear
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. chair — a leader
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. pop — music
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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