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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. chip — for betting
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a great time
  7. rest — a break
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. fork — in a road
  10. rock — music
  11. chip — to eat
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. spell — magic
  14. file — a line of people
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. rest — what's left
  17. spell — letters
  18. file — a document
  19. rest — what's left
  20. spell — a short time
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. fork — to eat with

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