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: row · lean · racket · arm · sharp · ground · stem · dip

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. sharp — clever
  4. dip — to sink
  5. row — to paddle
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. ground — a position
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. ground — crushed
  15. row — a line
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. lean — thin
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. stem — to come from
  21. ground — the earth
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. lean — to bend

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