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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. board — a committee
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. root — of a word
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. march — the month
  9. root — the cause
  10. bass — low music
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. march — the month
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bass — the fish
  15. root — of a plant
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. shower — to wash
  19. board — to get on
  20. march — music
  21. shower — rain
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. arm — part of the body

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