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: bat · can · wave · cabinet · chest · arm · shower · object

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. object — an aim
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. shower — to wash
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. can — to be able to
  8. can — a tin
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bat — the animal
  12. object — a thing
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. chest — of your body
  16. object — to protest
  17. shower — rain
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. chest — a box
  20. can — a tin
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. chest — of your 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