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: ball · swing · fan · arm · ground · scale · rash · craft

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. scale — size or range
  3. ball — a great time
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rash — a series
  7. swing — music
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a skill
  11. ground — the earth
  12. swing — in golf
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. scale — in music
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ball — a dance
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. rash — hasty
  21. ground — a position
  22. swing — to play on
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. ball — a round shape

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