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: arm · game · temple · board · sharp · file · fine · pit

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. pit — a hole
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. game — wild animals
  5. sharp — clever
  6. file — a document
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. game — a match
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. file — a line of people
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — all right
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. board — to get on
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. board — a committee
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. file — a tool
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. pit — in a race
  24. arm — a part of something

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