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: chair · rash · prune · row · trunk · suit · arm · fan

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. rash — a series
  3. prune — to trim
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. row — to paddle
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. rash — hasty
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. suit — in cards
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. prune — to trim
  23. chair — a leader
  24. arm — a part of something

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