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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. rest — a break
  5. staff — employees
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. staff — employees
  13. mine — for digging
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. staff — a stick
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. branch — a division
  24. arm — part of the body

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