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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. roll — a list
  3. firm — steady
  4. lean — thin
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. prune — to trim
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. firm — a company
  10. rash — hasty
  11. lean — to bend
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. prune — to trim
  14. firm — decided
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. roll — a cake
  18. wax — to grow
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. rash — a series
  23. branch — a division
  24. wax — in the ear

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