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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. fine — high quality
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. toast — bread
  7. date — the fruit
  8. stem — to come from
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. wake — a trail
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. fine — all right
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. present — the time now
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. present — there
  24. present — a gift

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