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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. row — to paddle
  3. prune — to trim
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. cue — for pool
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. perch — the fish
  9. cue — a hint
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. kid — child
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. kid — to tease
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. prune — to trim
  21. cue — a signal
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. row — a line
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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