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: pitch · file · scale · pit · cabinet · tear · ruler · bay

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. file — a tool
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. file — a document
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. file — a line of people
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. scale — in music
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pit — in a race
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. tear — from crying
  23. pit — a hole
  24. tear — to rip

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