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: dip · chair · calf · prune · current · mouse · arm · rest

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. current — of water
  4. chair — a leader
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. current — electric
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. prune — to trim
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. rest — a break
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. rest — what's left
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. dip — to sink
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. current — happening now
  23. prune — to trim
  24. rest — what's left

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