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: cabinet · track · arm · game · scale · pit · firm · pitcher

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. scale — in music
  3. track — a song
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. track — a path
  7. pit — in a race
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. firm — steady
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. firm — decided
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pit — a hole
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — size or range
  16. game — a match
  17. firm — a company
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. game — wild animals
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. track — to keep track

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