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: stock · wave · safe · racket · object · arm · cap · prune

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. prune — to trim
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. object — a thing
  5. object — to protest
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. prune — to trim
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. stock — goods
  16. cap — of ice
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. cap — a hat
  19. object — an aim
  20. stock — shares
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. cap — a lid

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