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: file · coach · march · cue · scale · calf · nail · swing

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. cue — for pool
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. march — music
  7. file — a document
  8. swing — music
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. file — a tool
  11. march — the month
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. file — a line of people
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cue — a hint
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. cue — a signal
  20. swing — in golf
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — size or range
  23. march — the month
  24. coach — a trainer

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