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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. row — to paddle
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. bass — the fish
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. roll — a list
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. prune — to trim
  14. staff — employees
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. roll — a cake
  17. staff — employees
  18. bass — low music
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. prune — to trim
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. staff — a stick
  23. row — a line
  24. prune — the fruit

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