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: perch · fall · drill · arm · cell · bank · face · foot

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bank — for money
  4. fall — the season
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. foot — a measure
  7. fall — to drop
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. drill — the tool
  10. face — part of the head
  11. face — to confront
  12. cell — a phone
  13. face — to point toward
  14. drill — army training
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. cell — in biology
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. bank — of a river
  20. drill — a practice
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. fall — to drop
  24. foot — part of the body

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