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: degree · rest · leaves · dip · hide · arm · staff · rash

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. rest — a break
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. degree — an amount
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — what's left
  13. dip — to sink
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. staff — employees
  16. degree — temperature
  17. rash — a series
  18. degree — from a university
  19. staff — a stick
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. staff — employees
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. leaves — of a tree

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