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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. file — a tool
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. rest — what's left
  5. clip — a video
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rest — a break
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bass — low music
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. clip — to cut
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. bat — the animal
  17. file — a line of people
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — the fish
  20. file — a document
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. stand — to bear
  23. clip — for paper
  24. safe — out of danger

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