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: kick · arm · wound · club · vault · firm · root · lie

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. root — of a word
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. kick — in football
  5. club — a group
  6. wound — an injury
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. lie — to recline
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. firm — a company
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. root — of a plant
  16. firm — decided
  17. wound — an injury
  18. root — the cause
  19. club — for dancing
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. vault — a safe
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. club — for golf

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