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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. file — a line of people
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. file — a tool
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. foot — a measure
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pit — in a race
  12. file — a document
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. sharp — clever
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — a lid
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. cap — of ice
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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