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 120 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: wound · file · chest · temple · bank · cap · scale · pitch

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — size or range
  3. file — a tool
  4. wound — an injury
  5. chest — of your body
  6. cap — a hat
  7. scale — in music
  8. chest — a box
  9. bank — of a river
  10. cap — a lid
  11. file — a line of people
  12. cap — of ice
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wound — an injury
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bank — for money
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. chest — of your body
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. file — a document
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  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