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: stick · arm · land · pitcher · mark · object · club · calf

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. club — for dancing
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. land — a country
  6. object — a thing
  7. mark — a grade
  8. land — to come down
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. object — an aim
  11. mark — a trace
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. club — for golf
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. object — to protest
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. land — ground
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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