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 · snap · mouse · pitcher · spell · cabinet · staff · bay

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. spell — a short time
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. spell — letters
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. staff — a stick
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. staff — employees
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. spell — magic
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. snap — to click
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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