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: net · swing · patient · ball · arm · hide · leaves · prune

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. swing — in golf
  4. prune — to trim
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. net — after costs
  15. net — in sport
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. swing — to play on
  22. prune — to trim
  23. swing — music
  24. net — for catching

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