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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. bear — the animal
  4. lean — to bend
  5. mate — a partner
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. fork — in a road
  10. mate — a friend
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. root — of a plant
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. roll — a list
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bear — the animal
  19. roll — a cake
  20. root — the cause
  21. lean — thin
  22. mate — to breed
  23. root — of a word
  24. fork — a garden tool

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