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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. toast — bread
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pass — a permit
  22. date — the fruit
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. date — on the calendar

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