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 120 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: stick · file · ball · game · patient · shower · arm · foot

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. game — a match
  3. foot — a measure
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. file — a tool
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. file — a document
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. shower — to wash
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. file — a line of people
  20. ball — a great time
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. shower — rain
  23. ball — a dance
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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