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: file · board · rest · foot · scale · bat · bank · leaves

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. rest — a break
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. scale — size or range
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bank — for money
  9. foot — a measure
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. board — to get on
  12. scale — in music
  13. file — a line of people
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bat — the animal
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bank — for money
  19. rest — what's left
  20. board — a committee
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. file — a tool
  23. file — a document
  24. bank — of a river

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