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: cell · shower · present · bear · file · bank · fine · arm

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a line of people
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. bear — the animal
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. present — the time now
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cell — a phone
  10. present — there
  11. cell — in biology
  12. bank — for money
  13. fine — high quality
  14. shower — to wash
  15. shower — rain
  16. fine — all right
  17. present — a gift
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. bank — of a river
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. file — a tool
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bank — for money

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