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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. prune — to trim
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. last — finally
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. prune — to trim
  12. stock — shares
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. last — final
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. lean — to bend
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. plane — a tool
  20. lean — thin
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. stock — goods
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. stock — a soup base

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