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: prune · fall · stick · row · mate · arm · racket · cap

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. mate — a partner
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. cap — a hat
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — to drop
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. mate — a friend
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. prune — to trim
  12. cap — a lid
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. mate — to breed
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. cap — of ice
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. row — a line
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. row — to paddle
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. prune — to trim
  24. fall — the season

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