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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. file — a tool
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. pit — a hole
  6. file — a document
  7. pit — in a race
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bank — of a river
  11. row — to paddle
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bank — for money
  15. cue — a hint
  16. march — the month
  17. file — a line of people
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. cue — a signal
  21. fine — all right
  22. bank — for money
  23. row — a line
  24. board — to get on

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