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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. file — a line of people
  4. kick — in football
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — a box
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. perch — the fish
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. foot — a measure
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. file — a tool
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — for betting
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. chest — of your body
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. trunk — of a car

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