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 120 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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. file — a tool
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. file — a document
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. staff — employees
  12. object — an aim
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. object — to protest
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. staff — employees
  17. object — a thing
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. capital — a city
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. staff — a stick
  24. capital — money

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