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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pit — a hole
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. file — a document
  7. pit — in a race
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. saw — the tool
  11. file — a tool
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pass — a permit
  15. wax — to grow
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. vault — a safe

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