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 · fall · mouse · row · roll · pitcher · stem · kick

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. row — to paddle
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. stem — to come from
  11. fall — to drop
  12. roll — a list
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. fall — to drop
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. row — a line
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. fall — the season
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. roll — a cake

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