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: arm · stand · spring · rock · mug · drill · plane · row

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. drill — the tool
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. plane — a tool
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. row — a line
  7. mug — a face
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. mug — to rob
  10. spring — a coil
  11. rock — a stone
  12. mug — a cup
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — to bear
  16. spring — of water
  17. drill — a practice
  18. rock — music
  19. row — to paddle
  20. drill — army training
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. spring — the season
  24. arm — part of the body

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