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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — in music
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — of water
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. file — a tool
  7. file — a line of people
  8. branch — a division
  9. scale — size or range
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. current — electric
  14. fine — high quality
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. fine — all right
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. rush — hurry
  24. file — a document

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