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: dip · deal · last · club · stem · lean · mine · arm

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. last — final
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. last — finally
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. lean — to bend
  8. mine — for digging
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. dip — to sink
  15. lean — thin
  16. last — to go on
  17. club — for dancing
  18. stem — to come from
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. club — for golf
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. deal — to handle

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