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: mark · file · scale · cell · bass · bay · perch · race

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mark — a trace
  3. file — a line of people
  4. perch — the fish
  5. scale — in music
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. file — a document
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bass — low music
  10. race — a contest
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. race — humankind
  13. file — a tool
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. cell — a phone
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. cell — in biology
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mark — a grade
  24. race — the arms race

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