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: track · arm · scale · stand · pitcher · fan · band · bowl

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. track — a song
  3. track — a path
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. scale — in music
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — to bear
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. scale — size or range
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. band — a ring
  19. track — to keep track
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. band — a music group
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. fan — a supporter

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