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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. band — a ring
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. prune — to trim
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. object — an aim
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. band — a music group
  10. kid — to tease
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. kid — child
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. object — to protest
  19. foot — a measure
  20. prune — to trim
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. date — the fruit
  23. object — a thing
  24. date — on the calendar

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