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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · present · roll · arm · current · prune · ball · last

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. current — of water
  3. last — finally
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — steady
  6. current — happening now
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. present — a gift
  9. prune — to trim
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. present — there
  12. roll — a list
  13. prune — to trim
  14. last — to go on
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. ball — a dance
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. roll — a cake
  19. firm — a company
  20. last — final
  21. current — electric
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a great time
  24. present — the time now

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