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: shower · kick · scale · firm · rash · saw · arm · chair

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. rash — a series
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. shower — rain
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — in football
  9. chair — a leader
  10. firm — a company
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. saw — the tool
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. scale — size or range
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. firm — decided
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. scale — in music
  21. saw — the tool
  22. rash — hasty
  23. firm — steady
  24. kick — with a leg

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