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: bat · pop · arm · file · nail · pitch · fine · charge

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pop — to visit
  5. fine — all right
  6. file — a document
  7. fine — high quality
  8. pop — music
  9. charge — in control
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. charge — electricity
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. charge — a price
  14. pitch — completely
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. file — a tool
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. pop — soda
  21. bat — the animal
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. file — a line of people

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