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

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. track — a path
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. fine — high quality
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. saw — the tool
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. scale — in music
  10. file — a tool
  11. track — a song
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. fine — all right
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. scale — size or range
  19. file — a document
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. file — a line of people
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. track — to keep track
  24. fine — a penalty

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