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 · row · fall · stock · bay · pitcher · fan · mark

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. fall — the season
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. stock — goods
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. row — to paddle
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mark — a trace
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. fall — to drop
  16. row — a line
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. mark — a grade
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. fall — to drop
  23. stock — shares
  24. pitcher — a jug

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