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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. pitch — completely
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bank — for money
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. mug — a cup
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. face — part of the head
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. bank — of a river
  14. prune — to trim
  15. squash — to crush
  16. face — to confront
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bank — for money
  19. squash — the sport
  20. kick — in football
  21. face — to point toward
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. mug — a face

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