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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: arm · scale · date · wound · rock · firm · present · saw

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — music
  5. firm — a company
  6. firm — steady
  7. scale — size or range
  8. present — the time now
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. saw — the tool
  11. wound — an injury
  12. saw — the tool
  13. date — the fruit
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. scale — in music
  17. wound — an injury
  18. firm — decided
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — there

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