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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. prune — to trim
  3. object — a thing
  4. cell — in biology
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. charge — in control
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rock — music
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. prune — to trim
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. row — a line
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. row — to paddle
  17. cell — a phone
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. object — to protest
  21. charge — electricity
  22. object — an aim
  23. charge — a price
  24. cell — in a prison

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