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: fall · dip · nail · last · cap · row · mouse · arm

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  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. row — a quarrel
  2. cap — of ice
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. dip — to sink
  7. fall — to drop
  8. last — final
  9. row — to paddle
  10. fall — to drop
  11. cap — a lid
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. cap — a hat
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. last — finally
  18. fall — the season
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. last — to go on
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. row — a line
  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