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: present · bank · rock · arm · plane · spring · hand · pit

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. plane — a tool
  4. present — the time now
  5. pit — in a race
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. present — a gift
  9. pit — a hole
  10. spring — of water
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. rock — a stone
  16. spring — the season
  17. hand — in cards
  18. bank — of a river
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bank — for money
  22. present — there
  23. spring — a coil
  24. bank — for money

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