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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — the fruit
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. lean — thin
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. bore — to drill
  14. plane — a tool
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bore — to tire
  17. lean — to bend
  18. rest — what's left
  19. mark — a grade
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rest — a break
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. plane — an aircraft

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