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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. cap — a lid
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. cap — of ice
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. prune — to trim
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. date — the fruit
  12. roll — a list
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. prune — to trim
  15. file — a document
  16. roll — a cake
  17. cap — a hat
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. lie — to recline
  21. file — a tool
  22. perch — the fish
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. file — a line of people

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