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: arm · rest · foot · key · trunk · bear · coach · rock

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  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. arm — part of the body
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rest — a break
  5. key — for a lock
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. key — the most important part
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bear — the animal
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. rest — what's left
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. bear — the animal
  19. key — in music
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. foot — a measure
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  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