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 120 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: pitcher · lash · arm · present · game · perch · dip · firm

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. dip — to sink
  3. present — there
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. present — a gift
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. firm — a company
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. game — wild animals
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. perch — the fish
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. present — the time now
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. game — a match
  21. firm — decided
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. firm — steady
  24. lash — an eyelash

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