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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. degree — an amount
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. file — a tool
  8. scale — in music
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. game — wild animals
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. pit — in a race
  14. degree — temperature
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. scale — size or range
  17. pass — a permit
  18. file — a line of people
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. degree — from a university
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. game — a match

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