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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. prune — to trim
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — to breed
  9. prune — to trim
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. face — to point toward
  15. last — to go on
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. face — part of the head
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. face — to confront
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. mate — a partner
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. last — final
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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