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: mouse · prune · date · coach · bear · arm · net · cabinet

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. prune — to trim
  3. net — after costs
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. prune — to trim
  6. net — in sport
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. net — for catching
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bear — the animal
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — the fruit
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. cabinet — ministers

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