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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. file — a document
  3. file — a tool
  4. clip — for paper
  5. craft — boats
  6. race — the arms race
  7. bore — to drill
  8. clip — a video
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. race — a contest
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. capital — money
  15. race — humankind
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. file — a line of people
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. capital — a city
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. clip — to cut

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