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: arm · can · patient · mine · straw · root · cue · cabinet

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. root — of a plant
  4. cue — for pool
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. cue — a signal
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. can — a tin
  10. root — of a word
  11. can — a tin
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. root — the cause
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. mine — for digging
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. can — to be able to
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cue — a hint
  24. straw — a straw man

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