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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. present — the time now
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a dance
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. deal — to handle
  8. present — a gift
  9. root — the cause
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — music
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. root — of a plant
  19. present — there
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. root — of a word
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. prune — to trim
  24. ball — a round shape

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