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 116 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: pitch · rest · file · staff · drill · bay · prune · scale

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. prune — to trim
  3. file — a line of people
  4. prune — to trim
  5. scale — in music
  6. drill — a practice
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pitch — completely
  9. staff — employees
  10. drill — army training
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. staff — employees
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. rest — a break
  15. file — a document
  16. drill — the tool
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. staff — a stick
  23. file — a tool
  24. rest — what's left

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