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: rest · pass · swing · degree · can · shower · hide · arm

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. degree — temperature
  5. shower — rain
  6. degree — an amount
  7. degree — from a university
  8. can — a tin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. rest — what's left
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. can — a tin
  15. swing — music
  16. can — to be able to
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. shower — to wash
  20. pass — a permit
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. rest — a break
  23. swing — to play on
  24. swing — in golf

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