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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. ball — a great time
  5. fine — all right
  6. file — a document
  7. fine — high quality
  8. wake — a trail
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. roll — a list
  12. drill — the tool
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. drill — army training
  17. drill — a practice
  18. roll — a cake
  19. ball — a dance
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. file — a tool
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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