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: stick · cell · safe · season · arm · scale · drill · lean

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. scale — in music
  7. lean — thin
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. cell — a phone
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. scale — size or range
  14. drill — army training
  15. lean — to bend
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. cell — in biology
  18. drill — the tool
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. season — of the year
  22. season — in sport
  23. drill — a practice
  24. safe — out of danger

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