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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. tear — to rip
  3. track — a path
  4. track — to keep track
  5. tear — from crying
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fall — to drop
  8. tear — from crying
  9. fall — the season
  10. press — to push
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. club — for dancing
  13. can — to be able to
  14. track — a song
  15. club — for golf
  16. file — a document
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. club — a group
  19. fall — to drop
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. press — a publisher
  23. file — a tool
  24. press — newspapers

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