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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. squash — the sport
  3. content — happy
  4. file — a line of people
  5. file — a tool
  6. stand — to bear
  7. wound — an injury
  8. content — the amount
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. season — in sport
  11. squash — to crush
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. fork — in a road
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. wound — an injury
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. season — of the year

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