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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. net — in sport
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. root — of a plant
  8. root — the cause
  9. net — for catching
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. row — a line
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. pop — music
  16. row — to paddle
  17. pop — to visit
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. net — after costs
  23. root — of a word
  24. pop — soda

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