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: fall · arm · file · craft · root · bound · court · rash

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. court — for sport
  3. root — of a plant
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. file — a tool
  6. rash — a series
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — tied together
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. file — a line of people
  11. fall — the season
  12. court — of law
  13. root — of a word
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. fall — to drop
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — boats
  18. root — the cause
  19. bound — certain
  20. file — a document
  21. fall — to drop
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. court — of a king
  24. rash — on the skin

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