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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a line of people
  3. chest — of your body
  4. chip — to eat
  5. rock — a stone
  6. file — a tool
  7. pit — in a race
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. chest — of your body
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. row — to paddle
  12. rock — music
  13. pit — a hole
  14. chip — for betting
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — to handle
  23. chest — a box
  24. row — a line

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