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 120 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: march · present · chair · mouse · nail · lie · arm · prune

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. march — the month
  7. prune — to trim
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. chair — a leader
  10. present — there
  11. present — the time now
  12. march — the month
  13. present — a gift
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. prune — to trim
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. lie — to recline
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. march — music

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