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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. file — a document
  4. wind — moving air
  5. race — humankind
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. board — to get on
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. board — a committee
  11. wind — moving air
  12. race — the arms race
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. pound — a weight
  15. scale — size or range
  16. race — a contest
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. scale — in music
  20. ball — a dance
  21. file — a tool
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. foot — a measure
  24. ball — a great time

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