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: arm · dip · game · press · field · stand · scale · perch

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. dip — to sink
  6. scale — size or range
  7. press — newspapers
  8. scale — in music
  9. field — farmland
  10. stand — to bear
  11. game — a match
  12. field — for sport
  13. press — a publisher
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. press — to push
  17. game — wild animals
  18. perch — the fish
  19. field — a subject
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. perch — for a bird

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