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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. drill — army training
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. vault — a safe
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. club — for golf
  11. row — to paddle
  12. club — a group
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. club — for dancing
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. season — of the year
  17. prune — to trim
  18. drill — the tool
  19. lie — to recline
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. season — in sport
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. drill — a practice
  24. row — a line

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