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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. fine — high quality
  3. file — a line of people
  4. squash — to crush
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. branch — a division
  7. row — to paddle
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. row — a line
  14. chest — of your body
  15. file — a document
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. chest — a box
  18. chest — of your body
  19. fine — all right
  20. pass — a permit
  21. squash — the sport
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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