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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a document
  3. current — happening now
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. roll — a cake
  6. scale — in music
  7. fork — in a road
  8. current — of water
  9. file — a line of people
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. roll — a list
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. current — electric
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. scale — size or range
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. scale — for weighing

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