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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. key — for a lock
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. face — to confront
  6. file — a document
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. face — to point toward
  9. wake — a trail
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. face — part of the head
  12. file — a tool
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. key — the most important part
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pound — a weight
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. key — in music
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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