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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. stock — shares
  3. file — a document
  4. clip — to cut
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. file — a line of people
  7. clip — for paper
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. clip — a video
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. stock — goods
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. scale — in music
  17. file — a tool
  18. scale — size or range
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. foot — a measure
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — completely

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