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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — a break
  3. file — a tool
  4. file — a line of people
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. file — a document
  8. bore — to drill
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rest — what's left
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. ground — the earth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. ground — crushed
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. prune — to trim
  19. lie — to recline
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bore — to tire
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. ground — a position

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