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: race · shower · saw · leaves · board · stand · arm · staff

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. board — a committee
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. race — the arms race
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. saw — the tool
  9. race — humankind
  10. shower — to wash
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. stand — to bear
  14. shower — rain
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. saw — the tool
  17. race — a contest
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — employees
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. staff — a stick
  24. stand — for spectators

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