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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. toast — bread
  3. mate — to breed
  4. wax — to grow
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. object — a thing
  10. charge — a price
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. object — an aim
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. mate — a friend
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. charge — in control
  18. mate — a partner
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. row — to paddle
  21. object — to protest
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. row — a line
  24. charge — electricity

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