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: file · rock · pit · arm · club · drill · scale · face

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. rock — a stone
  3. drill — army training
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. rock — music
  6. drill — a practice
  7. file — a tool
  8. file — a line of people
  9. pit — in a race
  10. face — part of the head
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. face — to confront
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. drill — the tool
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. club — for golf
  19. face — to point toward
  20. club — a group
  21. file — a document
  22. scale — size or range
  23. scale — in music
  24. pit — a hole

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