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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. branch — a division
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. bound — obliged
  6. face — to confront
  7. bound — tied together
  8. roll — a cake
  9. cue — for pool
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. roll — a list
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. cue — a signal
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. face — to point toward
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. cue — a hint
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. bound — certain
  23. face — part of the head
  24. jam — a tight spot

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