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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. pitch — completely
  7. tube — a container
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. snap — to click
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. file — a tool
  18. file — a document
  19. date — the fruit
  20. tube — the underground
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. perch — the fish
  24. tube — in a tire

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