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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bass — the fish
  3. last — finally
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. last — final
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. last — to go on
  9. bass — low music
  10. file — a document
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. file — a line of people
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. file — a tool
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. chip — to eat
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pound — a weight
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. chip — for betting
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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