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 116 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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bore — to tire
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bore — to drill
  9. mate — to breed
  10. key — the most important part
  11. file — a document
  12. mate — a friend
  13. key — for a lock
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. key — in music
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. branch — a division
  23. file — a tool
  24. straw — a straw man

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