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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. can — a tin
  5. prune — to trim
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bass — low music
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. kid — to tease
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — soda
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. kid — child
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. pop — music
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. can — a tin
  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