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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. firm — decided
  3. pop — soda
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. firm — a company
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — music
  8. row — to paddle
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. file — a tool
  12. degree — an amount
  13. row — a line
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. key — the most important part
  16. file — a line of people
  17. key — in music
  18. firm — steady
  19. degree — temperature
  20. degree — from a university
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. key — for a lock
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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