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: rock · pitcher · leaves · bear · scale · file · race · rest

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. scale — in music
  3. rock — music
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. rock — a stone
  6. race — a contest
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. bear — the animal
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rest — what's left
  13. race — the arms race
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bear — the animal
  17. file — a document
  18. scale — size or range
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. file — a tool
  21. race — humankind
  22. rest — a break
  23. file — a line of people
  24. bear — to put up with

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