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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed 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. craft — a handicraft
  3. mate — to breed
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. mate — a friend
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. mate — a partner
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. craft — a skill
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — a price
  15. perch — the fish
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pitch — completely
  19. charge — in control
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. craft — boats
  24. straw — dry grass

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