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: rest · hand · shower · row · roll · track · scale · pitch

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. hand — in cards
  3. shower — rain
  4. track — to keep track
  5. row — a line
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. row — to paddle
  8. hand — help
  9. track — a path
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. pitch — completely
  13. roll — a list
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. track — a song
  16. shower — to wash
  17. rest — what's left
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. roll — a cake
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. scale — size or range
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. scale — for weighing

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