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: rash · file · club · bay · arm · net · shower · pitch

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. file — a line of people
  3. file — a document
  4. rash — a series
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. shower — rain
  7. club — a group
  8. rash — hasty
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. file — a tool
  15. club — for golf
  16. net — in sport
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. net — after costs
  20. pitch — completely
  21. club — for dancing
  22. net — for catching
  23. shower — to wash
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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