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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. file — a document
  3. snap — to click
  4. object — a thing
  5. bass — the fish
  6. object — to protest
  7. pitch — completely
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. bore — to drill
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. file — a tool
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bore — to tire
  16. content — the amount
  17. cue — a signal
  18. content — happy
  19. bass — low music
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. file — a line of people
  22. object — an aim
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bass — the instrument

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