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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — clothes
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. scale — in music
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. pass — a permit
  9. scale — size or range
  10. stand — to bear
  11. file — a document
  12. file — a line of people
  13. chest — a box
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. file — a tool
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. suit — to fit
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. leaves — to go away

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