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 120 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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. current — of water
  8. squash — the sport
  9. rest — a break
  10. pop — soda
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. stem — to come from
  13. pop — to visit
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. squash — to crush
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. pop — music
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. current — electric
  20. wake — a trail
  21. rest — what's left
  22. current — happening now
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. dip — to sink

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