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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — a stone
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. suit — in cards
  7. fall — to drop
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. ground — crushed
  10. fall — to drop
  11. chair — a leader
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. rock — music
  17. ground — a position
  18. wake — a trail
  19. ground — the earth
  20. suit — clothes
  21. fall — the season
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. chair — to sit on

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