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: wake · file · fan · swing · pitch · rock · wound · temple

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. file — a document
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. wound — an injury
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. swing — in golf
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. file — a line of people
  10. file — a tool
  11. wound — an injury
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wake — a trail
  15. rock — a stone
  16. swing — to play on
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. rock — music
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. swing — music
  24. temple — side of the head

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