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: mine · rush · mouse · bay · root · prune · arm · file

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. rush — hurry
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. file — a line of people
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. root — of a word
  7. prune — to trim
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. root — the cause
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. prune — to trim
  14. mine — for digging
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. file — a document
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. file — a tool
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. mine — belonging to me

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