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: bay · arm · file · bore · cabinet · net · rule · swing

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bore — to drill
  3. rule — a law
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. file — a tool
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. swing — to play on
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. net — in sport
  14. swing — music
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. net — after costs
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. file — a document
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. rule — government
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. net — for catching
  24. file — a line of people

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