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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. net — after costs
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. net — in sport
  8. cue — for pool
  9. file — a line of people
  10. pound — a weight
  11. board — to get on
  12. net — for catching
  13. cue — a signal
  14. rash — a series
  15. rash — hasty
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. cue — a hint
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. board — a committee
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. file — a tool
  24. coach — a trainer

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