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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pass — a permit
  7. track — to keep track
  8. file — a line of people
  9. pitch — completely
  10. rock — music
  11. file — a tool
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rock — a stone
  15. track — a song
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. file — a document
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pass — to spend time

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