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: rush · present · arm · lean · sharp · bowl · pit · hand

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. hand — help
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. pit — a hole
  10. rush — hurry
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. pit — in a race
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. sharp — clever
  16. present — there
  17. present — a gift
  18. hand — in cards
  19. lean — thin
  20. present — the time now
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. hand — 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