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 had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. rash — hasty
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. cell — in biology
  8. file — a tool
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. ball — a great time
  11. rash — a series
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. file — a document
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. file — a line of people
  18. row — a line
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. cell — a phone
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. ball — a dance

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