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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mate — to breed
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. roll — a list
  6. firm — a company
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. snap — to click
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. firm — steady
  12. branch — a division
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. firm — decided
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. mate — a friend
  22. roll — a cake
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. rock — music

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