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 · bowl · pitcher · lie · rest · lean · degree · nail

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. degree — from a university
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. rest — what's left
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. lean — thin
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. degree — an amount
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. degree — temperature
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. rest — a break

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