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: object · jam · date · root · arm · snap · fork · stand

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. root — of a plant
  4. fork — in a road
  5. stand — to bear
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. date — the fruit
  8. object — a thing
  9. root — the cause
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. root — of a word
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. snap — to click
  19. object — an aim
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. arm — a part of something

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