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 · can · racket · kid · lie · bark · pit · spell

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. kid — to tease
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pit — a hole
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. can — a tin
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — magic
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bark — to shout
  22. kid — child
  23. spell — a short time
  24. lie — to recline

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