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: can · arm · degree · fork · pitcher · file · temple · track

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. can — to be able to
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. track — to keep track
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. track — a song
  11. track — a path
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. degree — an amount
  14. fork — in a road
  15. degree — from a university
  16. file — a document
  17. file — a tool
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. degree — temperature
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. arm — part of the body

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