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: fall · pitcher · dip · stick · rest · current · file · arm

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. fall — the season
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. fall — to drop
  7. file — a line of people
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. current — of water
  12. fall — to drop
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. current — happening now
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. current — electric
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. file — a document
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. file — a tool
  23. rest — a break
  24. arm — a part of something

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