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 120 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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. prune — to trim
  6. ground — a position
  7. rash — hasty
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. snap — to click
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bound — obliged
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. ground — the earth
  17. bound — certain
  18. rash — a series
  19. ground — crushed
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bound — tied together
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. prune — to trim

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