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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. file — a tool
  3. content — the amount
  4. pit — in a race
  5. suit — clothes
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. file — a document
  8. pit — a hole
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. file — a line of people
  14. current — of water
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. current — electric
  20. prune — to trim
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. suit — to fit
  23. current — happening now
  24. fork — in a road

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