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: scale · fan · arm · mate · mine · saw · suit · club

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. suit — in cards
  4. scale — size or range
  5. suit — clothes
  6. saw — the tool
  7. club — for dancing
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mate — to breed
  10. saw — the tool
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. mate — a friend
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. mate — a partner
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. scale — in music
  20. mine — for digging
  21. suit — to fit
  22. club — a group
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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