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: tear · file · rock · scale · root · hide · swing · arm

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. tear — to rip
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — to play on
  5. root — of a plant
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — the cause
  10. rock — music
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. tear — from crying
  13. swing — music
  14. scale — in music
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rock — a stone
  18. tear — from crying
  19. file — a tool
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. file — a document
  24. arm — a part of something

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