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

Word bank: club · arm · fan · lash · prune · kid · bear · ruler

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. club — for dancing
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. club — a group
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. club — for golf
  12. prune — to trim
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. bear — the animal
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bear — the animal
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. prune — to trim
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. kid — to tease

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