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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. chest — of your body
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. chest — of your body
  8. prune — to trim
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. suit — in cards
  11. chest — a box
  12. stem — to come from
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — for a lock
  15. kick — in football
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. key — in music
  21. suit — to fit
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. stem — a stem cell

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