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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. root — the cause
  6. rock — a stone
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. court — of a king
  9. file — a tool
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. court — for sport
  13. root — of a word
  14. file — a line of people
  15. rock — music
  16. file — a document
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. court — of law
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. root — of a plant
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. coach — a trainer

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