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 120 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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. chest — of your body
  7. band — a ring
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. chest — of your body
  10. band — a music group
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. bulb — for light
  13. press — to push
  14. bulb — for light
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. press — newspapers
  17. current — electric
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. press — a publisher
  20. current — happening now
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. current — of water
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. chest — a box

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