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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. bore — to drill
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. march — music
  5. pit — in a race
  6. chip — to eat
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. bore — to tire
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pit — a hole
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. foot — a measure
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. march — the month
  16. chip — for betting
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. file — a document
  19. kick — in football
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. march — the month
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. file — a tool

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