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: rock · arm · foot · row · suit · spell · pitcher · file

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. spell — a short time
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. file — a tool
  5. row — a line
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. suit — in cards
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. foot — a measure
  10. spell — magic
  11. suit — to fit
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. spell — letters
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rock — a stone
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. row — to paddle
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. file — a document
  21. file — a line of people
  22. rock — music
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pitcher — a jug

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