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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. tear — to rip
  4. present — a gift
  5. content — happy
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — completely
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. file — a tool
  12. tear — from crying
  13. content — the amount
  14. tear — from crying
  15. present — the time now
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. present — there
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — to get on
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. board — a committee
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. file — a line of people
  24. pitch — a sports field

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